why do ovo even though ive never missed a payment and im £110 in credit continue to threaten to raise my payment by £ 80 a month ,we are in the middle of a pandemic people are dying or losing there jobs and we get these threats to nearly double monthly payments based on ovo and there crystal ball and what you may or may not use energy wise over the next 6 months
Solved
I have lots of credit in my OVO online account - why are you suggesting a large increase in my monthly Direct Debit payment?
Best answer by Transparent
Updated on 08/09/25 by Abby_OVO
How do Direct Debits work?
A Direct Debit is an automatic monthly payment set up with your bank or building society. You can choose which day you want the payment to go out each month, and your bank will sort the rest.
Once your Direct Debit is set up, you don’t need to do anything else to make your payments.
Why is paying by Direct Debit the best way to pay?
Direct Debit is usually the simplest and cheapest way to pay for your energy. This is because:
-
You don’t have to remember to make payments each month – it’s all done automatically
-
You’ll get a cheaper rate if you’re on our variable Simpler Energy tariff
-
You’ll pay the same every month for your energy, which can help with budgeting
-
A Direct Debit spreads your energy costs evenly over the year, which means you’re less likely to have to pay more in winter
How does OVO work out my monthly Direct Debit?
The aim is to make sure you have credit for 1 month’s payment in your OVO account by the end of March. This is to help cover any change in your home energy use over the course of the year.
For new customers, this only comes into effect once you’ve reached March. When you first join, the aim is to make sure you have no balance left to pay after 1 year.
Your Direct Debit payment amount will be regularly reviewed to make sure it still covers your home’s energy use.
Why is my Direct Debit increasing when my balance is in credit?
It’s normal for a credit balance to build up in your energy account over summer, when energy use is usually lower. This credit can help pay for your energy in winter, when most homes use more. It helps you spread your energy costs over time.
Even if your energy account is in credit, sometimes your Direct Debit payments still need to increase.
This could be the case if we’ve worked out that your OVO account is likely to have a debt balance long term – based on how much energy your home is predicted to use.
You can always choose to get a credit refund if you prefer. Request one at any time in your online account, in our app, or over the phone. You just need to leave credit in there for 1 month’s payment. This is in line with our refund policy.
It’s important you have all the info, then you can decide what’s best for you.
-
If you request a refund online, sometimes we’ll need to confirm this over the phone. This is to make sure you have the details of how it’ll affect your energy account.
-
Getting a refund might mean your Direct Debit payments will need to increase, once your account has less credit in it.
For more on how Direct Debits work, check out our handy YouTube video: How do direct debits work?
Need more help?
If you’re worried about your payments changing or you can’t afford them, please speak to our team. We can make sure you get financial support that’s tailored to you and your situation. There are many options available for anyone who needs help. To get in touch with our team:
-
Sign up to our online tool at ovoenergy.com/payment-support and we can find the best plan for you.
-
Call us on 0800 408 6615. We’re here Monday to Friday, 9am and 5pm, and 9am to 2pm on Saturday.
-
Talk to us online at ovoenergy.com/help Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, and 9am to 2pm on Saturday.
We’ve got some other topics on the Forum which may also be helpful if you’ve still got questions about how Direct Debits work:
+8- Super User
Good morning
I’m really sorry to hear about this. I can’t access your account, but I can help you check a few things to give the right advice. It sounds like the platform might have made a mistake, but I can help you to check.
Firstly, can you fill out your forum profile please? It helps us to help you faster.
And if you can answer these questions, that would be great
- Are you a Duel-Fuel member, or just Electricity Only
- What tariff are you on
- Have you ever missed a payment
- Are your readings up to date on your account
- Do you have a smart meter
If you can answer those for me in your next reply, I can try to help you out.
Thanks
+2Updated on 08/09/25 by Abby_OVO
How do Direct Debits work?
A Direct Debit is an automatic monthly payment set up with your bank or building society. You can choose which day you want the payment to go out each month, and your bank will sort the rest.
Once your Direct Debit is set up, you don’t need to do anything else to make your payments.
Why is paying by Direct Debit the best way to pay?
Direct Debit is usually the simplest and cheapest way to pay for your energy. This is because:
-
You don’t have to remember to make payments each month – it’s all done automatically
-
You’ll get a cheaper rate if you’re on our variable Simpler Energy tariff
-
You’ll pay the same every month for your energy, which can help with budgeting
-
A Direct Debit spreads your energy costs evenly over the year, which means you’re less likely to have to pay more in winter
How does OVO work out my monthly Direct Debit?
The aim is to make sure you have credit for 1 month’s payment in your OVO account by the end of March. This is to help cover any change in your home energy use over the course of the year.
For new customers, this only comes into effect once you’ve reached March. When you first join, the aim is to make sure you have no balance left to pay after 1 year.
Your Direct Debit payment amount will be regularly reviewed to make sure it still covers your home’s energy use.
Why is my Direct Debit increasing when my balance is in credit?
It’s normal for a credit balance to build up in your energy account over summer, when energy use is usually lower. This credit can help pay for your energy in winter, when most homes use more. It helps you spread your energy costs over time.
Even if your energy account is in credit, sometimes your Direct Debit payments still need to increase.
This could be the case if we’ve worked out that your OVO account is likely to have a debt balance long term – based on how much energy your home is predicted to use.
You can always choose to get a credit refund if you prefer. Request one at any time in your online account, in our app, or over the phone. You just need to leave credit in there for 1 month’s payment. This is in line with our refund policy.
It’s important you have all the info, then you can decide what’s best for you.
-
If you request a refund online, sometimes we’ll need to confirm this over the phone. This is to make sure you have the details of how it’ll affect your energy account.
-
Getting a refund might mean your Direct Debit payments will need to increase, once your account has less credit in it.
For more on how Direct Debits work, check out our handy YouTube video: How do direct debits work?
Need more help?
If you’re worried about your payments changing or you can’t afford them, please speak to our team. We can make sure you get financial support that’s tailored to you and your situation. There are many options available for anyone who needs help. To get in touch with our team:
-
Sign up to our online tool at ovoenergy.com/payment-support and we can find the best plan for you.
-
Call us on 0800 408 6615. We’re here Monday to Friday, 9am and 5pm, and 9am to 2pm on Saturday.
-
Talk to us online at ovoenergy.com/help Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, and 9am to 2pm on Saturday.
We’ve got some other topics on the Forum which may also be helpful if you’ve still got questions about how Direct Debits work:
+2I’ll send you the master copy of the chart,
+2Just to add my point of view.
Having a gas supply that is the reverse of normal seasonal usage, has always caused problems with the automated projected usage systems over recent years, It has High usage in the summer / zero usage over winter.
My account is always fun this time of year when the weather starts to get colder 
Today my recommended DD payment has changed yet again, only a +10% increase this time, so long as the status is only flagged as recommendation & not a requirement, I’m happy 😃
Tom...
+8- Super User
Wait… Zero gas usage? Do you turn off your gas supply all winter then? 
To be fair, I’m also one of those weird edge case members. Because my usage throughout the entire year is always really low (I only pull around 100 kWh of eco juice a month on average!), I always throw the number crunching out of sync when seasons change.
It is something I’m keeping a close eye on however, since I can probably use my account to help train the platform to not be so eager to fiddle with payments when it’s not needed.
+2Wait… Zero gas usage? Do you turn off your gas supply all winter then?
Only 1 of my gas meters is shutdown for winter, my other gas meter & boiler are working overtime
Some ancillary electrical equipment used in conjunction with the now zero gas supply is also switched off for the winter, throwing my projected electric usage out as well.
The estimated usage for the now dormant gas supply had been dropping steadily over the last couple of statements as it has not had any usage since September, but it was still about double the actual kWh.
Now with the onset of winter, the estimated usage is back up by another 30%.
Hence the need to get my account & billing in order,
Tom...
OVO has just shown this for me after I have inserted my 12th month meter readings I just cannot understand “how” OVO expects me to give them £6,324 by DD for the useage of around £4300 to £4500 for the year cannot anybody offer an insight other than OVO stacking customers money without thought for there customers ?
OVO quote to me today 04/09/2022:-
“Your balance is set to be -£4,001 by the end of your 12 month billing period. Your minimum monthly payment should be £527”
+8- Super User
Hi,
This one sounds like
I see OVOs founder Stephen Fitzpatrick empire including OVO has racked up £300m loss and OVO holding company Imagine Industries losses has widened in the last 3 years so perhaps there is a plan to recoup by hoisting DDs so as to cushion the business? There seems to be no thought for customers who been paying £175 and then £193 DD and have been paying there bills can suddenly jumped to £500+ DDs there is no thought about capability to be able to pay.
Prices are due to rise by an average of 80% in October, on top of substantial increases over the past 12 months. If you use more than the average, particularly of Gas, the increase to you could well be above the “average” increase figure. What OVO are saying is that based on your current consumption levels and prices operating from October 2022 your DD needs to be £527 per month.
The OFGEM average annual figure at October 2022 prices is £3549. That covers 3,100 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh of gas. You must i think use much more than the average. Plus there will be another substantial increase in prices from January.
If you wish to challenge their DD computation you need facts and figures not emotion. They are obliged to set your DD in a fair manner, but you have to accept that you do have to pay for what you use. Obviously if you use less fuel your bills will go down. Actions to save fuel that could be safely ignored 18 months ago, because fuel was then cheap, should now be pursued vigorously. Winter, the peak consumption period, is not yet upon us - you have a bit of time to put an energy saving regime into action.
The new PM will announce further measures to assist households soon. Whether these will assist you as compared to everyone else is currently debateable.
Sorry if its not the reaction you were expecting but forewarned is forearmed. *edited by mod*
+8- Super User
Hehehe, yeah it’s pretty strict here! I always forget about the pre-moderation when I’m exempt from it basically everywhere!
https://forum.ovoenergy.com/members/sugarboat-38976
Its not the suppliers fault. Do you expect them to rack up losses while you escape pain. Get real!
OVO Help Chat advised me that I can cancel my monthly d/d. I am on SVR.
They said that I would indeed have more control over my monthly finances, & advised Pay on Receipt of bill or S/O.
So. I’m cancelling my d/d. I’ll monitor my account & pay online. I’ll even top up occasionally - as I have previously. But I will decide the monthly amount.
+8- Super User
OVO Help Chat advised me that I can cancel my monthly d/d. I am on SVR.
They said that I would indeed have more control over my monthly finances, & advised Pay on Receipt of bill or S/O.
So. I’m cancelling my d/d. I’ll monitor my account & pay online. I’ll even top up occasionally - as I have previously. But I will decide the monthly amount.
Just want to set some expectations here. If you cancel the Direct Debit, you’ll be required to pay the entire bill every month in full. There’ll be no leeway to decide how much you pay or when once the bill is generated. If your account credit is high enough to cover the entire bill, it’ll get automatically cleared off, but otherwise you’ll need to pay the entire balance by the due date.
To be clear, you won’t get to decide the monthly amount either - the monthly payment will be the entire bill.
Thank you for the reply.
My current monthly d/d is less than what I use per month. I am in credit too. Not much.
I’ve drastically reduced my new boiler to just 30” a day & when winter hits us here in NE Scotland will only run minimum heating to prevent ice damage. I have a bio fuel fire now, new windows & radiator reflectors.
I genuinely cannot see how the proposed monthly increases are justified other than in OVO trying to manage customers budgeting for them.
+8- Super User
I see. If you’ve only recently made those changes, it will take some time for OVO’s systems to catch up. The reduced usage will be identified and factored into the calculations, but it takes at least one season to get enough data to run the number crunching with - and that assumes regular meter readings are being submitted.
The upcoming price cap in October will only last three months and is roughly 80% higher than the one that’s active right now. The next one in January 2023 is said to be even higher than that. In addition, paying by any method other than Direct Debit is said to cost around £200 a year more, so you may find that you’re worse off by coming off of DD.
I think OVO is trying to help you build up some extra credit now to help you ride the storm, but ultimately it’s your choice. Just be very careful this winter.
I received an email to increase my DD though I am currently in credit of almost £500. Can't get a response from chat bot.. 40 minute wait and phone answered... No I don't want to increase my DD thank you, I will keep it as £200 per month and pay anything over at the time. Oh I can add a discount of 15% on CD to decrease your monthly payments.. No I think you misheard what I want to do.. Oh I can't do that why.. I'm your customer still willing to pay my bulk but I will pay as required.. No that's a different number and it's a 40 minute wait... Your conversation is not helpful at all.. Can I speak to a manage.. No I cant do that.. So if you want to keep DD if they allow me too when I call..*edited by mod* call this number 0800 069 9831.. Why didn't you add this number to the email ?? Oh I'll raise it .. I don't know if I will be allowed to keep my DD as £200 get however he said if I cancel my DD I will not be entitled to my discount... *edited by mod*
Does anyone know how to stop ovo upping my direct debit automatically? I am well in credit in my account and I'm not using the amount estimated from the last price increase
+8- Super User
Hi
There is a way to do this. Please call the Collections Team on 0800 069 9831 and have a chat with them. They’ll be able to assess your account and if they agree that a three month Direct Debit freeze is appropriate, they can activate it for you.
Please be advised that you’ll still need to pay for what you use and may have to pay more later if your payments don’t keep up.
+8- Super User
No worries, glad I could help. :)
We’ll be here if you need us for anything else.
Same thing. My account has been consistently in credit, up to £2.5k recently (now drawn £1.5k out so £1k in credit). This is due to exporting from solar and EV, For the last three years I’ve been paying £98pm. OVO have said the same to me, increase DD to £348 a month or they’ll do it for me on next payment. I’ve asked about cancelling but they said they’ll cancel my fixed plan (they can at 49p/kWh! Otherwise I’ll just have to apply for a refund every month tvo my DD. Ridiculous! I asked them to take my export into account. They say they can’t take future credits into account as they’re variable. But they can take future imports into account even tho they’re variable!,
If they are not being fair and reasonable in relation to your DD you should make a complaint. No doubt you’ll be in for a long fight and an eventual victory in about 6 months. The 80% increase this time is placing customer services under immense strain. The workers there are caught between angry customers and uncaring management.
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