Citizens Advice said it helped 60,000 people with the cost of electricity and gas, more than double the number from last year. Many people were particularly struggling with billing, with some facing catch-up bills of an average of £2,500.
Problems with energy bills are expected to rise further in coming months, with the price cap – the amount that suppliers are allowed to charge for a unit of gas or electricity – rising 1.2% on 1 January, and forecast to rise further in April.
Keeping costs down
Les Roberts from energy comparison site Bionic said that cutting costs on bills by conducting an ‘energy audit’ and limiting use at certain times of day can improve the situation for some consumers.
“Similarly, installing a smart meter means you can pinpoint exactly how your home could be more energy efficient. There are no more estimated bills and no need to give your supplier a meter reading, which will save time, money and hassle.
“Only heating up your home when you need to can be done by simply setting the timer on the thermostat to start the heating at certain times, or consider a time-of-use tariff that offers cheaper rates at certain times. On this point, it may also be worth switching to a time-of-use tariff or off-peak tariff, where the price of energy will be lower at times when the grid is under less pressure and demand is lowest, which tends to be between 10pm-8am,” he said.
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When you can’t pay
If you can’t afford your energy bill, your first step is to speak to your supplier, Roberts said.
“Under official Ofgem rules, your provider must organise an affordable payment plan, and as part of this, consumers have the right to ask for a bills review to see if the amount is correct, a break from payments until you can afford to pay, a reduction to an affordable rate, access to advice on how to reduce energy usage or more time between payments,” he added.
You should also be given access to hardship funds, Government grants and other help.
If you still can’t pay, then your provider can, in extreme circumstances, install a prepayment meter so that you pay for energy you use in advance. However, Roberts said this is a “last resort”.
“Your supplier is obliged to give you at least 28 days to repay any debt you fall into before they take action. After this point, your supplier can take steps to install a prepayment meter in your home, but they have to give at least seven days’ notice,” he said.
If you can’t agree
If you have a complaint about your energy provider, you can take this to the Energy Ombudsman, which can provide a binding decision.
Making a complaint to the ombudsman is free for consumers, and more information can be found at https://www.energyombudsman.org.
