Direct debit amount doesn’t include energy bill support discount

  • Gemmap1987's Avatar
    Level 3
    Hi, our latest bill being taken on 3rd October doesn’t include the £66 discount for the government’s energy support scheme discount. Is this happening to anybody else?
  • 9 Replies

  • JoeSoap's Avatar
    Level 91
    @Gemmap1987

    You might find some relevant information by reading the whole of the post in the following link…
    https://community.eonnext.com/threads/5195-Energy-Price-Guarantee?p=15228&viewfull=1#post15228

    Please come back with as much information as you can about your problem if you need further help.
    I'm an Eon Next dual fuel customer with no particular expertise but have some time on my hands that I am using to try and help out a bit.
  • Gemmap1987's Avatar
    Level 3
    Thanks, I have read through the FAQ’s first. We pay a fixed price by direct debit, so my reading of that is we should be paying less from this month until March. It says it will be deducted, but it has not been
  • JoeSoap's Avatar
    Level 91
    @Gemmap1987

    You are correct. From October to March your monthly DD will be reduced by £66 or £67.

    There is much confusion at present and it’s taking some time to get correct information onto customers online accounts.

    You can try to contact customer service but as you can guess this is really difficult at present. It may be best to hang on a few days to see if it will be sorted. I’m sure it will be but I see this all taking time.

    Here’s a link to all the ways of contacting customer service should wish to do so…
    https://community.eonnext.com/thread...ull=1#post7151
  • Gemmap1987's Avatar
    Level 3
    @JoeSoap Thanks for the reply Joe. It doesn’t seem like there should be much confusion. It looks pretty simple to me to deduct £66 from all DD customer bills, and its a basic error e-on shouldn’t be making. Will see if it’s rectified, but not holding out hope and it sounds like a nightmare to speak to someone right now
  • JoeSoap's Avatar
    Level 91
    @Gemmap1987

    If only it was just a case of applying the reduction then it would be quite simple. But it isn’t.

    Energy companies were getting ready to apply an 80% rise to the price cap until the government announced the EPG. That meant the SVR was going to be limited to specific rates that they had some leeway to work around. Then there was the issue of those on fixed rates, some below the EPG, some above by varying degrees. Then ‘the floor’ was announced. They had a few weeks to try and work it all out.

    Some customers were getting notification of the original 80% rise, some with the EPG, the £67 reduction etc. Some are getting a combination at the same time. Probably there are algorithms fighting against each other.

    This is my take on it anyway. So even for those just on the SVR, there is a price rise to deal with from the 1st of the month then a reduction in the DD on whatever day after that. If you’re on a fix, then perhaps your electric is currently above the EPG whilst your gas is below. Are they going to use ‘the floor’ or are they going to go below it. Are they going to backdate any price drops for those on fixes to the date they took them out?

    There’s a lot to sort out and it’s confusing. I fixed several weeks ago and my DD has dropped by £67 for October but my fix is above the EPG and the expected reduction in in unit rates hasn’t been applied yet so my DD is still more than it should be. When it is applied, will I see two different DD amounts as some are seeing? I don’t know to be honest.

    What I am sure of, is that customer service will be completely overwhelmed and I won’t be joining the queue to speak to them any time soon. As witnessed on this forum, some are at the end of their tether and getting irate, cancelling DDs until they get attention and submitting complaints. We, as fellow customers, are trying to answer questions as best we can but we don’t know all the answers and frankly are as confused as anyone else. There has been little sign of any staff posting on here for days so presumably they’re wrapped up in trying to get things sorted ahead of October.

    I’ve tried to give my take on things here. I’m not defending Eon Next, merely a customer who tries to help out. Hopefully others will read this and understand there is a lot to sort out. What I would advise everyone without a smart meter set to at least daily readings to do, is to submit readings on or around 1st October and then try to be a bit patient to allow time for things to get sorted out. I do realise people are worried, and some extremely anxious as any price rise could tip them over the edge. Clearly those people need to get access to customer service ASAP so I intend to just wait and not clog up the phone lines so that those that really need support can get through.

    Please don’t take this as a rant at you or indeed anyone else. I didn’t think I’d write so much but it takes a lot of explaining and it helped me get my head around things as I was writing it. I may have got some things wrong and as usual stand to be corrected. Rather than keep trying to answer similar questions from others, I may link to this post to give others my take on how things are. Some may disagree with my analysis but I don’t think anyone can say things aren’t confusing at the moment. That’s one bit I’m certain of.

    I hope things are clearer and I’m not trying to stop you contacting customer service for proper advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Just be prepared for a long wait.

    More specifically to you… you mentioned that your bill doesn’t include your £66/67 reduction. I don’t think the reduction would show on your bill… at least not at this stage before 1st October. Your bills so far will be just as they would have been. It’s your DD that will change as of October and perhaps that just hasn’t shown up in your online account yet. There’s still time if that’s the case. The price reduction itself won’t change the amount of the bill, only how much of it you will be paying and how much the government will be picking up.

    I hope this helps.

    Phew, I don’t know about you, but I need a drink 🥃
    Last edited by JoeSoap; 27-09-22 at 02:34. Reason: Added some bits
  • Andy65's Avatar
    Level 44
    Hi @Gemmap1987

    I don't know but it could be that they are applying the discount in batches, by Direct Debit date would make sense.

    You're right that it is a nightmare trying to get through to them at the moment but I suspect that it's the same with all energy providers.
    I think all you can realistically do now is wait and see if your DD updates in the app or your online account, as by the time you get through to them it will probably be too late to change anything anyway.
  • Gemmap1987's Avatar
    Level 3
    We are hundreds of pounds in credit on a fixed DD (I appreciated people often are in credit over the summer months). I have just noticed £66 has been credited, but rather than to my bank account, it has been added to my credit on the e-on account. That is not how the government website says this subsidy works. It should be a reduction to the direct debit. The wording is very clear!
  • meldrewreborn's Avatar
    Level 91
    @Gemmap1987

    and has your direct debit stayed the same or did it reduce by £66? I see from another of your posts the DD was taken as normal, which wasn’t how it was supposed to work. Perhaps @JoeSoap can comment.
    Last edited by meldrewreborn; 10-10-22 at 22:19.
    Current Eon Next and EDF customer, ex Zog and Symbio. Don't think dual fuel saves money and don't like smart meters. Chronologically Gifted. If I offend let me know by private message, but I’ll continue to express my opinions nonetheless.
  • JoeSoap's Avatar
    Level 91
    @Gemmap1987 @meldrewreborn

    It is completely normal for your account to be well in credit at the end of the summer.

    The £66 is supposed to be credited to your Eon Next account and not your bank account so that bit has worked as it should do. The issue is the amount of your monthly DD.

    We have no details of your tariff, any unit rate changes on 1st October or DD amount. Nevertheless, I have given my thoughts as an answer to your post on another thread linked below…
    https://community.eonnext.com/thread...ll=1#post18564
    Last edited by JoeSoap; 11-10-22 at 00:30.