Why such a large increase to my recommended Direct Debit?

Hey ​@nothing, 

​One of our volunteers ​@Blastoise186 has left some great advice so far. Have you called and spoke to someone about your Direct Debit? 

Please keep us updated!

Hey ​@nothing 

I’m sorry to hear of the issues you’re having it sounds very stressful.

The first thing to check is if the bill is accurate:
 

If you’re struggling financially or you’re worried about your energy bills, we’re here to support you. Find out about the different ways we can help here.

What can our payment support team offer if I can’t pay my energy bill?

Our payment support team has supported lots of people in similar situations, and are trained to do so. 

Some of the ways they can help are:

• They can create a payment plan that’s suitable for your financial situation. A payment plan can spread the cost of what’s outstanding, you can find out more about them here.
• They can discuss what other payment schemes you may be eligible for. They can make sure you’re getting the support that’s available to you, such as benefit entitlement checks. 
• Our team is also trained to give advice on energy debt, and discuss what help is available. 
• They can show you where you can find free, independent advice.

For more financial support, call the team on 0800 069 9831. We’re open Monday to Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 9am-2pm.
 

If you or anyone in your household is vulnerable, or just needs a little extra assistance at a difficult time in your lives, our Priority Services Register is a free support service you might find useful.

Struggling with your energy bills? Our Winter Support Package might be helpful to you.
 

Have recently committed to a Fixed Rate Tariff plan for 24:months, have had a email confirming it's started but am getting emails saying my direct debit is being increased to more than I was quoted. When will my lower payment I have signed up to start?

Hi ​@BlobbyPoet ,

What you’ve signed up to is fixed rates, not fixed payments. Only the Unit Rate/Standing Charges is locked in - not how much you pay each month. This is how such tariffs work.

If you think your payments are wrong though, you can discuss that with OVO Support via https://ovoenergy.com/help to ask for a review.

Hey ​@BlobbyPoet,

Blastoise has already given some helpful advice here:
 

Even with a fixed energy contract, your direct debit can increase. While the unit price of your energy is fixed, your overall bill can change based on your energy consumption. If you use more energy than initially estimated, your direct debit will be adjusted to reflect the higher usage and prevent a large debit balance at the end of the contract period. 

Here's why:

• Fixed vs. Variable:

  A fixed energy contract means the unit price you pay for gas and electricity remains the same for the contract duration. However, your overall bill (and therefore your direct debit) can still fluctuate based on how much energy you use. 

• Direct Debit as an Estimate:

  Your direct debit is essentially an estimate of your annual energy costs, divided into monthly payments. This is designed to make budgeting easier by spreading costs throughout the year. 

• Consumption Changes:

  If you use more energy than anticipated (e.g., due to a colder winter, more appliances, or a larger household), your supplier will increase your direct debit to ensure you are paying for the energy you are using and to avoid a large debit balance at the end of the contract. 

• Catching Up on Usage:

  If your initial direct debit was based on estimated readings and those estimates were lower than your actual usage, your supplier may also increase the direct debit to account for the difference and get you back on track. 

• Preventing Debt:

  Direct debits are adjusted to ensure you are paying for the energy you are using and to prevent a large debit balance from accumulating on your account, which could lead to a significant bill at the end of the contract. 

Essentially, while your unit price is fixed, your overall energy bill is not, and your direct debit will be adjusted accordingly to reflect your actual energy consumption. 
 

Hope this helps.

Hi ​

Sorry to hear about this, please see the information page that we’ve made just for this reason: https://www.ovoenergy.com/payment-support (or click here). This outlines all the financial support you might be entitled to and how to get it.

It sounds like you’ve had a direct debit review suggestion that you disagree with. As the agent mentioned, you have time from when we send that email to speak to us about that change if you’re unhappy with the new suggested amount.

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 Support Team who’ll do everything they can to support you. 

I’ve linked below to some other topics which may be helpful here:

Just got off a VERY frustrating chat about my DD.  I’m currently over £440 in credit and my DD has been increased AGAIN to £161  My average bill per month over the last 12 months is £115!!!!!!!  According to the app I’ll be £148 in credit by the end of March 2026, RUBBISH I will be over £800 in credit at this rate!  But I did get the reason confirmed, (that I suspected) the EV usage isn’t taken in to account when calculating the DD.   This makes a MASSIVE difference if you’re using charge anytime.  So as an example our last bill was for £183, ex VAT but we actually paid £112 because of the charge anytime credit of £75.  But the DD calculation will be based on the Total cost and NOT the Total charges!  I’m not sure if I can remain a OVO customer as we’re about to get another EV so our total cost will be even higher with 2 EV’s and I’ll be spanked even more.  Its something that really need to be addressed its pretty simple!

The DD amount isn’t based on the size of bills, how much you’ve been charged in the past. It’s a fairly simple calculation using only the Future Annual Consumption (FAC) figure to work out a full year’s costs at current rates. Add 1/12 for the extra month’s credit at the end of winter, deduct any credit balance and divide the result by the number of DD payments between now and 31 March to get the monthly DD amount.

Sadly, the calculator can’t take potential future credits (like Charge Anytime, Power Move or Warm Home Discount) into account. This means that you’ll have to ask for a manual adjustment at quarterly intervals. The CA credits that have been made will increase the account balance and thus decrease the calculated DD. You have the choice: accept the status quo and pay a bit extra each month, or ask for a refund of your current balance less one month’s DD. 

The bigger the credit balance, the smaller the DD;
The smaller the credit balance, the bigger the DD.

It’s worth checking, too, that your FAC estimate is reasonably accurate. You can see it on the Plan page; it should be not far off the difference between today’s meter reading and the one from a year ago.

Or I might just move to octopus who do variable dd's as it's really getting on my nerves. 

Variable DDs can have problems as well, worth googling before you decide which way you're going to go.