Energy price hikes while on benefits

[andydd]

Eon dont currently have a social tariff-they appear to be encouraging people to have pre payment meters installed.

They state that by doing so the minimum collectable arrears can be reduced from £5 to £3.

As always this restricts the consumer to benefit from discounts.Eon offer 3% discount for dual fuel accounts who pay by direct debit.

Those on pre payment meters have no way of benefitting from this and still have to pay more.

 

I am on Scottish Power for Electric and Gas and I had to phone up many times, complain, ask to speak to a manager, etc before there was any mention of a cheaper/social tariff, I was made redundant in may and my cheaoper tariff is only now kicking in, all the staff initially only kept telling me I'd have to have a pre-payment meter fitted even going as far as to say that they could legally force their way in to fit one !. End result is there has been no further mention of fitting one.

[indebtstudent]

"Eon dont currently have a social tariff-they appear to be encouraging people to have pre payment meters installed."

 

This is a big problem, I believe NPower also aren't accepting new customers onto thier social tariff except through certain charities. This is very worrying, it says ring for help, but actually in many cases there isn't any.

 

Surely they shouldn't be able to have info relating to social tariffs on thier website if it is subject to availbilty (for want of a better term!)

[MARTIN3030]

Good point-in fact it may be a breach under the 2008 unfair consumer trading regs.

Since my post last November Eon have scrapped standing charges on pre payment meters though only after much pressure.

Recently I had a letter saying that my tariffs had been set too low and that next time I topped up my card it would be adjusted.

I hav'nt checked it out yet but am very suspicious that they have done this....I will be looking at my settings and tariffs over the weekend and make some comparisons.

[harrassed senior]

Here is my catch 22 situation. Been having deductions via Pension Credit for 3/4 years now and they reached an all time high of nearly £40 per week, one half of my PC earlier this year. However, my Southern Electric bills never seemed to show payments made - long round of 'phone calls etc. even Cit.Ad tried twice with no response. I am totally electric reliant with storage heaters. I have had to keep these totally off for 2 years now and dread the winters mainly spent in bed!!

 

To cut a long story short, after chasing for yet another bill showing credits it appears at long last I owe just over £100 (September bill, only received this week - online so nothing to do with postal strikes).

 

The very next day I received a letter stating my Social Tarriff had ended and upon re-applying because my usage was not high (remember 2 winters with absolutely no heat) I no longer satisfy their criteria for this benefit - even though only income is S.Pension (single person) and Pension Credit half of which they take). So, with all the price hikes, theme still insisting on taking from source £25 per week, I am being penalized and am in a catch 22 situation.

 

Has anyone any ideas of who to complain too over this, getting older so not sure how many more heatless winters I can do.

[AA99]

Here is my catch 22 situation. Been having deductions via Pension Credit for 3/4 years now and they reached an all time high of nearly £40 per week, one half of my PC earlier this year. However, my Southern Electric bills never seemed to show payments made - long round of 'phone calls etc. even Cit.Ad tried twice with no response. I am totally electric reliant with storage heaters. I have had to keep these totally off for 2 years now and dread the winters mainly spent in bed!!

 

To cut a long story short, after chasing for yet another bill showing credits it appears at long last I owe just over £100 (September bill, only received this week - online so nothing to do with postal strikes).

 

The very next day I received a letter stating my Social Tarriff had ended and upon re-applying because my usage was not high (remember 2 winters with absolutely no heat) I no longer satisfy their criteria for this benefit - even though only income is S.Pension (single person) and Pension Credit half of which they take). So, with all the price hikes, theme still insisting on taking from source £25 per week, I am being penalized and am in a catch 22 situation.

 

Has anyone any ideas of who to complain too over this, getting older so not sure how many more heatless winters I can do.

 

 

I had the most success with my local MP, it's worth a try with yours:cool:

[jimmylesaint]

hypothetically if you did not pay for gas and electric,or paid £5 a week would they cut you off?Could they cut you off? Water they can't and rates are normally £350 a year, remember to not pay surface water charges if your property is legible.

[AA99]

As long as you're showing willing to pay something, you will never get cut off, that I can almost guarantee. Believe you me, I would have been on a box in Hyde Park if they had (God, I miss those days )

 

Get to the root cause of your billing problems, their rate increases, your consumption, whatever it is, but keep paying at least what you think you use.....

[indebtstudent]

harassed senior you need to make them aware of your age as they cannot knowingly cut off a vulnerable customer.

 

Are the bills estimated?

 

Are the heaters working properly? What is your usage per day? If you aren't using the heaters I don't think the payments should be that high, but its difficult to know without knowing how much you are using.

 

I believe you may be eligible for grants to make the home more energy efficeint, as well as the usual insulation type stuff there are some grants to convert to gas (if this is available in the area). Obviously its only worth pursuing if you feel it would save money.

[AA99]

Just keep paying something..... speak with your suppliers... let them come round to your house..... be willing... nobody in this day and age should be struggling with essential item like water and heating... there is a way around it....