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ForumUserXE
Rank 1
January 14, 2025
Solved

Standing Charges & VAT not included in 'Usage' pages on App / online account?

  • January 14, 2025
  • 12 replies
  • 314 views

It would appear that the cost of energy used for the year on the usage page is just the cost of the units used not including the standing charges etc.  This seems confusing if not disingenuous as standing charges make up nearly 30% of the overall billed amount.

Best answer by Ben_OVO

Updated on 27/08/26 by Abby_OVO

Hi ​@ForumUserXE 

 

Thanks for your comments, I hope I can shed some light on our usage graphs for you.

 

Our live daily billing platform and app/web usage graphs are designed to work with smart meters. If you don’t have smart meters currently, you can book an appointment via your online account or app.

 

 

If you have smart meters, they need to provide half-hourly meter readings for the Usage pages to show the most accurate data. You can contact our Support Team to check your meters are set up in this way. If not, they can reconfigure them remotely.

 

Your Usage graphs are there as a helpful tool to show Usage patterns and costs across the day, week, month and year. 5% VAT* and Standing Charges aren't included in the comparison, as the graphs relate to your usage alone.

 

*The government is cutting VAT on household electricity prices from 1 October 2026 to help with the cost of living. So electric prices shown for usage will be the same here, plus any standing charges.

 

If you’re an OVO customer, you’ll get the saving automatically, whether you’re on a standard variable or fixed rate tariff. You don’t have to do anything. Check out the topic below for more on how this impacts you:

 

 

As @Blastoise186 mentioned, you can see your total costs by checking your bills. To do this, log into your online account or app. If you’re logging in on a web browser, click ‘Billing History’. On the app click ‘Bills’. You can then see a list of all statements. Click on the arrows on the right hand side of the screen to view the statement as a pdf. I’ve included a screenshot of my own online account below to help you navigate:

 

AD_4nXcTQFrVKLgh_yAk1QpcXnuFY3uSikJQqn3bvXXf2Sjor3L9yGJvj-6zTbjcXRYJMffm48GeSYOvZPGtWAbEbRUQovQM2vbZkrRlaottAVS6ydCPQbYy48N3GbjOLdBmMzRtQ70vCw?key=8KspEhY-nolRv-zvNgZ22Qrt

 

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Rank 12
Bendog
Rank 12
May 2, 2026

This is what shows for my energy usage in 2025. However, these figures are only for the energy that I have actually used and do NOT include the standing charges for each fuel type or the 5% VAT that is charged. For most of last year, I was paying around 70p per day in standing charges. This would add about £256 to the overall cost. On top of that, we are charged 5% VAT on the total of energy costs and standing charges. These charges are shown clearly on each bill. As an example, here is my bill from March 4th to April 3rd. 

 

Abby_OVO
Community Manager
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
May 4, 2026

Hey ​@AishaT 

 

Welcome to the Forum, I’m glad to see a couple of our users have already stopped by with some helpful advice on this.

 

It does sound like the rest is likely made up of standing charges, as this isn’t included in the usage amounts as mentioned by a Bendog.

 

With it being Pay As You Go, there’s also the possibility of perhaps having had to pay emergency credit etc back, which would also account for more credit being used up. We don’t have access to accounts here at the Forum so we can only give our best recommendations. It’s likely one of these is the reason for it looking like you’ve paid in more than you’ve used.

 

I hope this helps clear up the mismatch in amounts.

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