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Rank 1
October 7, 2022
Solved

£66 government energy bills support scheme deducted from my OVO account balance not added?

  • October 7, 2022
  • 645 replies
  • 34621 views

Can anyone explain what’s going on here?

Opening balance was £335, we used around £90 worth of electric/gas combined (£66 government payment was taken off this, hence the £22 charge), I paid £150 so by my reckoning the balance should have gone up by around £125.

It hasn’t though - they seem to have then deducted the £66 again.

Does anyone know why? Do I need to contact them or will it right itself?

Best answer by Blastoise186

Updated on 28/06/23 by Abby_OVO

 

This scheme is now closed.

 

How you will be awarded the £67 depends on how you pay. If you’re seeing a deduction, it’s because you pay by Direct Debit and the grant payment went into your OVO account and is then deducted from the account and refunded to your bank account. 

For all information on this topic please see the website page Energy Bills Support Scheme or this previous response:

 

 

If you pay by direct debit and have seen the credit go to your OVO account, this payment will be transferred into your bank account. 

 

The payment will be made 3-5 working days after the direct debit has cleared. This will happen automatically and you don’t need to do anything. 

 

All customers who pay this way will receive their refund into their bank accounts within 3-5 days of their direct debit date. For example, if your direct debit is the 15th of the month, it’ll be 3-5 days after this. 

 

For anyone that pays on demand, their payment will be made directly to their OVO account. 

 

 

If you pay by Direct Debit

You’ll receive your discount as a refund. This means you’ll carry on paying your full Direct Debit amount. Once the Direct Debit payment has cleared, we’ll refund the monthly discount amount to your bank account shortly after. If you cancel your Direct Debit, or your payment fails, there may be a delay in applying the discount to your account.

You’ll get your discount every month, even if you don’t get monthly statements. You'll see confirmation of the discount on your next statement. 

 

If you pay when you get your bill

You’ll receive your monthly discount as a credit to your energy account in the first week of each month. You’ll see this on your monthly bills from October. 

We’ll add the discount to your energy account every month, even if you don’t get monthly bills. You'll see confirmation of the discount on your next bill. 

For example, if you receive your bills on the 15th of the month, we’ll add your discount in the 1st week of the month, starting in October, so you’ll see confirmation of this on your bill dated 15 October.

 

Hey @meccles !

Please check your Charges as well. I suspect you’ll see a line entry there that explains it, just like this example:

 

645 replies

Newcomer
October 31, 2022

I’ve just checked my account and my £66 rebate from the government has been paid to me, but deducted from my credit balance. So basically they have taken the money from me (that I have already paid to create credit on my account) and paid my money back to me.  Has anyone else had this happen?

juliamc
Rank 20
Rank 20
October 31, 2022

Look in charges in detail: it should have an entry Energy Bill Support Scheme -£66 It is a negative charge ie a payment into your account which has come from the government.

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
October 31, 2022

Is there a line entry on Charges in detail called Energy Bill Support Scheme anywhere in the current and last five billing cycles?

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
October 31, 2022

Please check the Charges in detail for the current and last five billing cycles. It’s probably in there somewhere! You’re after Energy Bill Support Scheme -£66

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Newcomer
October 31, 2022

No, there is no mention of the government’s payment in of £66 only the refund to me which reduces the total credit on my account by £66. It seems that OVO has pocketed the government grant and just given me back £66 of my own money. 
Interestingly, the company computer wants me to suddenly increase my DD payments to cover a shortfall of £400

juliamc
Rank 20
Rank 20
October 31, 2022

Have you clicked on See details ?

Newcomer
October 31, 2022

Yes and that is where I can see the credit balance of my OVO account reduced by “Refund -£66” but no government contribution to my account 

Firedog
Super User
Super User
October 31, 2022

… As a result OVO’s computer is demanding that I am underfunding my account and must increase my DD.


It looks like one of the things at play here is the Government’s belief that taxpayers’ money should as far as possible stay in taxpayers’ pockets. Electricity suppliers could simply have credited the subsidy to users’ accounts, but another factor affecting the decision not to do this is OFGEM’s misgivings about suppliers allowing users to build up large credit balances. This isn’t so surprising in view of the number of suppliers going broke last year and having to be bailed out. So OVO return the payment from your OVO account to the bank account your Direct Debit (DD) is paid from.

It thus has no effect on your OVO account or the DD calculation. If your DD isn’t expected to cover all your outgoings for the next year, ending the year with a zero balance, OVO will propose an increase. The subsidy being paid into your bank account will help to fund any increase in the DD. 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
Newcomer
October 31, 2022

Hi John, exact same thing is showing on my account!!! I am frustrated because I do not want to have to spend hours on the phone to them. To think the government rebate is effectively being paid with our credit balances! 

Newcomer
October 31, 2022

Sorry you’ve missed my point. All OVO have done is return some of my money to me and then asked for an increased DD to cover the projected shortfall. They must have received £66 from the government for me but that £66 has not been credited to my OVO account.