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    What to do..... Archived Message

    Posted by Ed on May 3, 2023, 5:07 pm

    Hello Edward
    We're getting in touch to let you know that we need to increase your monthly Direct Debit payment from £45 to £241. We understand that this might come as a shock.

    It’s because your current monthly payment won’t cover your predicted energy costs. And we want to make sure you’re not left with a larger payment at the end of your billing period or current fixed contract.

    If you have recently switched to a cheaper plan, we will continue to monitor your Direct Debit amount and we will let you know if it needs to be reduced.

    Getting your balance back on track
    As it stands today, by the end of your billing period, your account balance is set to be
    -£2,342.79. To reduce this balance and avoid you needing to make a top-up payment, we need to increase your monthly Direct Debit payment from £45 to £241.

    You don't need to do anything. We'll automatically update your payment amount within 10 working days of your next Direct Debit payment. You can also log in to your online account here and make the changes yourself.

    We're here to help if you need us
    It's a difficult time for so many people right now. So we want you to know we're here to support you.

    If you think you're going to struggle to afford the change to your Direct Debit payment, please chat to us via webchat (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 2pm) or call us on 0800 408 6615 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm) and we can work out a solution together.

    You can also have a look at our online payment support tool which can help you find a way to pay that feels manageable.

    Why isn't my Direct Debit payment enough?
    Here are a few reasons why your Direct Debit payment is lower than your energy costs:

    You might be using more energy than normal - find out how to use less by tracking your energy in your online account
    Your energy prices have changed, or will do soon
    You may have missed a monthly payment, temporarily reduced your Direct Debit amount or recently got a refund
    If my balance is in credit, will you still increase my Direct Debit payment?
    To keep things simple, we recommend paying a Direct Debit that's the same amount every month. It goes into your energy account, which is like a pot of money, and we take your energy bill payments out of that pot.

    If you have some extra money in the pot, it's understandable that you might want to take it out. But that could be a problem later if it leaves you with a negative balance.

    If you have a positive balance and your Direct Debit payments still need to increase, it's because your current balance isn't enough to cover increased energy costs. So by increasing your Direct Debit payment now, you'll avoid having to make a bigger extra payment towards the end of your billing period.

    You can find more information on our website.

    How do you calculate my Direct Debit amount?
    We work out your Direct Debit amounts with the aim of getting you to a balance of zero by the end of your billing period.

    We'll estimate your energy use and other costs (for example, the standing charge) for the rest of your billing period
    We take into account any positive or negative balance you might have
    Then we divide it by your remaining months to get your new Direct Debit amount
    For more information, you might find these pages helpful:

    I want to understand my energy bill

    Energy efficiency and financial support

    Energy Help and FAQs

    Remember, we're here if you have any questions. And there are many ways we can help. If you think you're going to struggle to afford the change to your Direct Debit payment, please chat to us via webchat (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 2pm) or call us on 0800 408 6615 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm).not

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