Energy Bills Support Scheme

I got mine a couple of weeks ago. It might have been better to add it to the accounts as, if you don't have enough money to eat already, you'll use it for food then will still be stuck with paying a massive gas/electric bill.

Better still they should have prevented the bills from rocketing in the first place by capping the rise in costs that could be passed on to the consumer by a reasonable amount and/or nationalising bankrupt suppliers. France capped the rise last year to 4% and fully nationalised EDF. We're paying excessive amounts to pay dividends to shareholders. I always thought that being a shareholder meant that you risked losing money as well as making it but it doesn't seem that way anymore. Dividends seem to be paid out regardless.

It seems to depend on your energy supplier and how you pay your bills. I pay ? by direct debit and my payments for the next six months have been reduced. To be honest I’m not bothered which way I get it!

I’m with Shell Energy. My direct debit was taken for the full amount, and the same day my energy account was credited with the £66.

Fine by me doing it like that.

Yes, same here Calendargirl, with EDF rather than Shell,

I'm with British Gas and pay by direct debit. Looking at my electricity account on-line I can see a credit for £66 coming onto the electricity account for EBSS, then a debit for £66 going out. This was 3 days ago. I queried with British Gas why is that money not yet in my bank account? They advised me it takes 3-5 working days to reach my account. It obviously takes the scenic route as any other payments from or to companies happen within 2 hours. So we will see if the money is in my bank account on Tuesday. Different companies and different payment methods mean you get EBSS in different ways. I shall probably put this money into a savings account and when I get my energy bills, I will put this money, along with the Winter Fuel money towards any shortfall.

That seems a very roundabout way of doing it notgran.

Mine goes off my DD

Blossoming

That seems a very roundabout way of doing it notgran.

Do you mean how British Gas make the payment? I agree and if I wasn't so anal about checking my on-line BG account daily to make sure I'm not overcharged, I probably would not be aware they do it this way. The £66 has landed in my bank account this morning (I'm also anal about checking my bank account) so it will be transferred to a savings account later ready for the big half yearly bill May 23. I intend to put the Winter Fuel payment and subsequent EBSS payments in the savings account also. That way it gains a bit of interest and doesn't get spent, as it would, if left in my current account. That's the plan anyway!

How energy suppliers will pay the £400 cost of living support.

www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/08/how-energy-suppliers-will-pay-the-p400-cost-of-living-support-pa/

DaisyAnne

*How energy suppliers will pay the £400 cost of living support.*

www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/08/how-energy-suppliers-will-pay-the-p400-cost-of-living-support-pa/

With British Gas, direct debit, it didn't work exactly as said here. Not sure if it was because it was the first payment but mine didn't hit my bank account until 15 days after my Direct Debit had been paid. Therefore I'm sure some of the other info is probably not quite right. It will be what MSE were told by the Suppliers and not what happens in practise so can't be taken as gospel.

EDF are crediting this money to my DD account, then immediately debiting it and sending it to my bank account as a rebate.

I was a little confused when they put my DD up a large amount (even though I am on fixed rate until end of January 2023) - did not seem to take into account this money coming. So, obviously, they have taken the decision to refund each of those payments as they are made.

So, anyone who pays EDF on a DD should ensure that they check their own bank account to make sure this £66/£67 arrives each month.

notgran

I'm with British Gas and pay by direct debit. Looking at my electricity account on-line I can see a credit for £66 coming onto the electricity account for EBSS, then a debit for £66 going out. This was 3 days ago. I queried with British Gas why is that money not yet in my bank account? They advised me it takes 3-5 working days to reach my account. It obviously takes the scenic route as any other payments from or to companies happen within 2 hours. So we will see if the money is in my bank account on Tuesday. Different companies and different payment methods mean you get EBSS in different ways. I shall probably put this money into a savings account and when I get my energy bills, I will put this money, along with the Winter Fuel money towards any shortfall.

Can I ask whereabouts in your British Gas online account you are seeing that info.
My mum is with them, and she asked me to look at her account to see if there is any mention of this £66, but I can't find anything. However, I do find that particular account very difficult to navigate, so I fear I am not finding the right place to look!

We are with EDF and our DD was taken as usual at the beginning of the month. We had £66.00 credited to our account about 10 days later.

I tend to check our bank accounts every day.

Sar53

We are with EDF and our DD was taken as usual at the beginning of the month. We had £66.00 credited to our account about 10 days later.

I tend to check our bank accounts every day.

I told my daughter it was not OCD to do this but soooo good to hear someone else does. Peace of mind is worth a lot.

I also check my bank account and credit card account every morning. Good practice doing this and anything not quite right is picked up so quickly. Far from being OCD, this daily check (so quick and easy on my phone) should be encouraged.
My £66 also took several days to make the transfer. Do not understand this at all. If I pay someone by bank transfer, as soon as I click 'send' it leaves my account and appears in the account whom I am paying. So why does it leave EDF account last Saturday and NOT arrive in my account until this morning (Wednesday)? Does anyone know?

Oldnproud

notgran

I'm with British Gas and pay by direct debit. Looking at my electricity account on-line I can see a credit for £66 coming onto the electricity account for EBSS, then a debit for £66 going out. This was 3 days ago. I queried with British Gas why is that money not yet in my bank account? They advised me it takes 3-5 working days to reach my account. It obviously takes the scenic route as any other payments from or to companies happen within 2 hours. So we will see if the money is in my bank account on Tuesday. Different companies and different payment methods mean you get EBSS in different ways. I shall probably put this money into a savings account and when I get my energy bills, I will put this money, along with the Winter Fuel money towards any shortfall.

Can I ask whereabouts in your British Gas online account you are seeing that info.
My mum is with them, and she asked me to look at her account to see if there is any mention of this £66, but I can't find anything. However, I do find that particular account very difficult to navigate, so I fear I am not finding the right place to look!

Right Oldnproud, assuming your mother's on-line British Gas account looks like mine, this is how to find it. (The cavaet being mine was credited and debited 15 days after my direct debit was paid and then it was another 5 days before it hit my bank account.)
First log on using the username and password.
It should open up in the Account Overview and the screen has a tab for "Electricity" which you select.
Then select "View Payment Plan"
Scroll down the page until you get to "Your Payment Histoty"
Then "View your payment history"
You should now be looking at all the Direct Debit payments made and also any credit or debit left over from the last bill. If the £66 has been acioned on your Mother's account it will show here.
Hope this helps and isn't too patronising a reply.

I found out that most of these companies have a social tariff for people on benefits and low incomes.... It was on Rip off Britain monday.. can save you quite a bit over the year.

Franbern the payment was probably a BACS payment and they take 3 working days.

www.starlingbank.com/resources/banking/what-is-bacs-guide-to-bacs-payments/