Is it too late to submit a meter reading?
No. If you read your meter on March 31, you can still submit and receive the units you used before switching to the old price. Providers say customers can send readings in the coming days – some are less specific than others about whether there is a deadline. At E.ON, customers have until Saturday, April 9, to connect to the internet and submit their meter readings for March 31. A spokesman added: “Smart cash customers do not need to do anything, as their metrics will be automatically communicated to us.” EDF says its customers can share cash indications “in the coming days and next week and we will adjust the bill accordingly”. Scottish Power accepts readings online and through its application. E.ON customers have until Saturday, April 9th to connect to the internet and submit their measurements for March 31st. Photo: Thilo Schmülgen / Reuters British Gas has a form on its website that customers can fill out with Thursday’s meter reading and says it will be available next week. Anyone who received a message from the company on Thursday requesting a reading can respond.
Is it too late to read?
Not if you are an Octopus customer – its prices do not actually increase until Saturday. Customers will then have a week to submit their readings.
Do I have to stop charging immediately?
Rising monthly direct bills have prompted some energy customers to consider changing their settings and paying when they receive their bills. Before you do this, make sure it does not cost you more. The price cap for customers paying this way is £ 130 per year higher than for direct debit customers and you could see that fixed charges and unit prices are rising. At British Gas, for example, payment in this way attracts a fixed charge of 51 p for electricity and a unit price of 30 p, as opposed to a fixed charge of 45 p for direct debit customers and a unit rate of 28 p. SSE states on its website that the transition from on-demand payment to direct debit could save its customers up to 9 129 per year. Some energy customers think about switching to payment when they receive their bills rather than direct debits. Photo: Jacob King / PA
What help can I get if I have difficulty?
If you experience problems with the new pricing, help from your provider may be available. Most have funds to support their most vulnerable clients and will tell you if you qualify and should be able to direct you to other help and advice. British Gas announced on Thursday that it was adding 2 2 million to its fund for troubled customers – providing grants of 250 250 to 750 750 to accounts. If you have less than £ 1,000 in savings and need help, you can apply. It has another fund to help customers of other energy companies – it is currently closed but will reopen on July 1st.
