As we dont have a bank account and so we dont have any bills  i pay the electricity £25 payment every 4 weeks  in the post office when we pick up hubbys pension, i was £40 in credit in June, i just had a letter from them saying  i havent kept up with payments and they want £90 up front and my payments to rise to £40 a month (we are only in a one bed bungalow) so i phoned them and asked what was going on. Apparantley i should be paying once a month not 4 weekly ( so in my eyes im paying too much really) and on a certain numbered day say like the 19th of each month but because im paying 4 weekly the numbered days come up different every month and if its payed after the certain number of the month then its classed as a missed payment,i pay all my household payments 4 weekly and we are always in credit with all of them, so now she said to keep paying monthly say on the 19th but in November for example the 19th is a sunday so it cant be done, plus as i care for hubby we only go out once a week so after a long phone call with the lady saying its the computers fault we came to the conclusion that i can pay once a week when we go out to get the pension,i feel like instead of going forward ive gone back 16 years which is when i started this type of payment as a single mother, honestly if anyone does understand this..... isnt it stupid!!!!!!!

Maybe a daft question but doesnt it drive you mad forever running around to pay bills.  Could you maybe open a bank account pay your pension in when you get it (amount to cover bills) and set up direct debits for a few days after your pension gets paid in. 

I'm in a flat and am paying about £16 per week for gas (heating) and electric (cooking and everything else) for the summer quarter.  That really is the amout that the stuff gone up! :(  So if they're saying that you should be paying £40 per month, that could be about right. :(

No it was because they thought i was behind in payments but i wasnt.im only in a one bed place too.

well, we just had a bill saying we were £400 in credit, for the house we sold in May, bearing in mind we haven't lived in it for 18months...Derek phoned them today and now they say we OWE then £600!!!! How we managed that when we were continuing to pay by DD, and they reckon they changed the meter?? When I don't know??? Certainly wasn't done was I was around and I don't work?? I don't know what the heck is going on?? Any advice gratefully received!! All the best, Dawn

You poor thing, these companies drive me mad!!!!!!!!!!!!