The cost of living crisis is hitting every household in the region, but a Consett woman has told of her shock when she received her updated bill from her energy company.
Josie - who lives near the town centre - panicked when she realised that her monthly payment was increasing FIVE times what she was paying before the energy crisis hit at the end of last year. And she said that the massive hike had tipped her family from being financially secure to not knowing if they would make ends meet at the end of every month.
Josie, 35, who didn't want us to use her surname, told of her horror when she learned that her energy bill - which was £98 per month last October, had risen to a massive £523 a month, leaving her and her husband Dave, 40, wondering how others less fortunate than they are will cope.
Read more: "Where is the money meant to come from?" - mum's despair over increased cost of living
"We're just an ordinary couple living in a completely ordinary mid terraced three bedroom house," said Josie. "We don't do anything out of the ordinary that would make our energy consumption any different than anyone else's. Our fixed tariff ends this month and I've just been informed by our energy company EDF that my energy bill will go from £195 to £523 a month.
"Until October 2021, we were paying £98 a month. What will our bill be this coming October when the new price cap kicks in? £1200 a month? We are a lot luckier than some people - we know that. We both work and in some ways I hate to complain because I know there are lots of people worse off than we are.
"But it's so dispiriting to cut back and cut back, yet our wages are still disappearing faster every month. What use are three-minute showers and value groceries when you get hit with bills like this? We are cutting back and cutting back until I don't think there's much left to cut back on and eating into our savings, which I realise we are lucky to have. What use is a £400 one-off rebate against a monthly bill of £523? We both work full-time - we shouldn't have to consider whether we can afford it if one of us fancies a hot bath."
Josie said her anger and confusion was made worse by the fact that, according to her smart meter, the maximum amount of energy she had used since October was £135 in January. Her usage, according to the smart meter for last month was £91.
"I was with Green Network Energy and transferred to EDF when Green went bust," she said. "I am on a fixed tariff which comes to an end on 31 May, plus I am aware there is some debt on the account. I know all of these things add up. I also know that prices will be going up again in October. and I know I am currently paying a lower rate than most people.
"However, even taking all of the above into account, how can EDF possibly come to the conclusion I need to pay around £400 more than I am actually using? I can't pay this. No one can pay this."
An EDF spokesperson said the £523 direct debit is made up of £453 towards ongoing usage and £70 towards the arrears
"We appreciate the £453 is currently more than the customer’s current energy consumption, but this is based on a projection for the next 12 months and takes into account the higher unit rates the customer will be paying for their energy from 1 st June.," she said. "After conversations with the customer last week, we lowered the DD to £306 per month, an amount the customer was more comfortable with. However, there is the possibility of the agreed £306 not being a big enough amount to cover energy use over the next 12 month period. The next review is due in October 2022. One of the team will be in touch with the customer to recommend an instalment plan be set up to pay of the current arrears on the account.."
Josie said: "It's a complete mess and I'm terrified to turn anything on now. I've had a breakdown off all available tariffs and the projected cost, including the standard variable, and they are all less than they're telling me I have to pay. The standard variable is predicted at £302 a month and a fix until May 2024 is £360, so I don't now where the £453 has come from.
"There are a couple of more expensive 'full service' tariffs or one including boiler care at over £400 a month but I don't want these and I've not asked for them. I just want to be on the cheapest rate available and am happy to pay off the arrears separately."
