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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
November 1, 2022

Yes I’ve looked everywhere for it and it’s not there

Jeffus
Rank 20
Rank 20
November 1, 2022

Yes I’ve looked everywhere for it and it’s not there

@adriangalilee interesting, could you post the extra details of both bills.

4th September to 3rd October

4th October to 1st November

The charges to 3rd October 97.84 are much lower than the charges to 1st November 188.70. This would normally be a good indication the 66 has been put on the 3rd October bill. 

Of course the difference in bills could be central heating or something else.

So lets check your usage etc if that is ok? 

Rank 2
November 1, 2022

My own account records the following details up to yesterday as shown on my iPad:

6 Oct - 31 Oct

summary

Balance changes

Opening balance +£858.66

Charge £57.97 out

Refunds -£66.00 out

Current balance +£734.69

 

A minus refund is a credit and £66 was paid into my bank account on 7th October.  But, in simple terms with an approximate balance of £860 at the start of the period and a consumption of about £60 then the end balance should be around £800, not £66 less than that as appears to be the case.    Like others, it appears to be £66 short.

 I’ve written to the complaints email address three times asking for clarification without getting a reply so far.  

Paul

Paul
Rank 2
November 1, 2022

Oh, for reference, the previous period shows the following:

Your balance

Starting balance 6 Sep £738.53 in credit
Total charges  £29.87 out
Direct Debit 3 Oct £150.00 in
Closing balance 5 Oct £858.66 in credit

 

Note also that my direct debit, taken on 3rd of the month has been increased since and I’ve twice in September been asked for further increases in my DD.   I increased it by 50% several months ago to build up this higher balance in the knowledge that a price increase was coming.   I believe I’m owed £66 and that would help in not having to increase it further 

Paul
Jeffus
Rank 20
Rank 20
November 1, 2022

Oh, for reference, the previous period shows the following:

Your balance

Starting balance 6 Sep £738.53 in credit
Total charges  £29.87 out
Direct Debit 3 Oct £150.00 in
Closing balance 5 Oct £858.66 in credit

 

Note also that my direct debit, taken on 3rd of the month has been increased since and I’ve twice in September been asked for further increases in my DD.   I increased it by 50% several months ago to build up this higher balance in the knowledge that a price increase was coming.   I believe I’m owed £66 and that would help in not having to increase it further 

Hi @Ovo Energy forum

Looking at this it does look like you may already have the £66 put in your account. 

The total charges above for the month are only £29.87. So it looks like the the £66 may have been added to reduce the charges. 

None of us have access to your bills so we can't be sure either way. 

Look at the full details of the above bill and post a screen shot if you can.

Unfortunately the Energy Bill Support Scheme amount doesn't appear as a line item on the summary you have posted, it would have been easier if it did.

If you post a  screen shot of your full bill we can have a look if it would help. 

Rank 2
November 1, 2022

Here’s a copy and paste for 6th Sep - 5th Oct 2022.  I’ve not had the October bill yet.

Summary of charges
Cost of electricity £60.99
Cost of gas £28.56
Interest Reward -£3.01
VAT 5% of £86.54 £4.33
Energy Bill Support Scheme -£66.00
OVO Beyond Inc 5% VAT £5.00
Total charges £29.87

Your balance

Starting balance
£738.53 in credit
6th September
Direct Debit 3rd October +£150.00 in
Total charges £29.87 out
Closing balance
£858.66 in credit
5th October

Electricity in detail 6th Sep - 5th Oct 2022

Detailed charges
Energy use £47.61
29.309 kWh at 14.53p
113.735 kWh at 25.80p
45.619 kWh at 30.70p

Standing charge £13.38
3 days at 25.23p a day
22 days at 46.58p a day
5 days at 47.55p a day

Cost of electricity £60.99

 

Gas in detail 6th Sep - 5th Oct 2022

Detailed charges
Energy use £20.76
12.518 kWh at 2.71p
104.648 kWh at 6.88p
136.196 kWh at 9.71p
 

Standing charge£7.80
3 days at 24.79p a day
22 days at 25.92p a day
5 days at 27.12p a day

 

Perhaps I’d better wait until the full October bill is available in a few days ?

 

Paul

Paul
Jeffus
Rank 20
Rank 20
November 1, 2022

Here’s a copy and paste for 6th Sep - 5th Oct 2022.  I’ve not had the October bill yet.

Summary of charges
Cost of electricity £60.99
Cost of gas £28.56
Interest Reward -£3.01
VAT 5% of £86.54 £4.33
Energy Bill Support Scheme -£66.00
OVO Beyond Inc 5% VAT £5.00
Total charges £29.87

Your balance

Starting balance
£738.53 in credit
6th September
Direct Debit 3rd October +£150.00 in
Total charges £29.87 out
Closing balance
£858.66 in credit
5th October

Electricity in detail 6th Sep - 5th Oct 2022

Detailed charges
Energy use £47.61
29.309 kWh at 14.53p
113.735 kWh at 25.80p
45.619 kWh at 30.70p

Standing charge £13.38
3 days at 25.23p a day
22 days at 46.58p a day
5 days at 47.55p a day

Cost of electricity £60.99

 

Gas in detail 6th Sep - 5th Oct 2022

Detailed charges
Energy use £20.76
12.518 kWh at 2.71p
104.648 kWh at 6.88p
136.196 kWh at 9.71p
 

Standing charge£7.80
3 days at 24.79p a day
22 days at 25.92p a day
5 days at 27.12p a day

 

Perhaps I’d better wait until the full October bill is available in a few days ?

 

Paul

Hi @Ovo Energy forum I have highlighted where ovo have added £66 to your account in the above billing period. Bold and underlined

It reduced your charges by £66.

Then on your next bill you will see a line that says Refund £66. The £66 then appears in your bank account.

Not the easiest thing to follow but your account looks fine.

It is complicated by the fact the two line items appear across 2 billing periods. Plus the line items don't appear in the same position on the bills. 

Do ask if it is not clear. 

Rank 2
November 1, 2022

Under billing my account does show:

 

Billing for 6 Oct – 5 Nov 2022

This is your current billing period. Your charges so far are £58.75

4 days until end of billing period

Your balance

Updated 11h ago

Starting balance 6 Oct £858.66 in credit
Total charges  £58.75 out
Refunds 6 Oct £66.00 out
Today's balance 1 Nov

£733.91 in credit

 

 

Charges in detail

 Electricity

Standing charge 26 days at 47.55p per day £12.36
Energy use charge 62.93 kWh at 30.70p £19.32

Electricity meter readings

Opening read on 6 Oct Estimated 88485

Closing read as of 12 Oct You gave 88548

Units used 62.93 kwh

 Gas

Standing charge 26 days at 27.12p per day £7.05
Energy use charge 177.31 kWh at 9.71p £17.22

Gas meter readings

 

Opening read on 6 Oct Estimated 16115
Closing read as of 12 Oct You gave 16130
Units used 177.31 kwh

 

Credits, discounts and VAT

VAT 5% of £55.95 £2.80
Total Charges £58.75 out

 

 

I have just sent in some readings today to hopefully update the figures.

Paul

Paul
Jeffus
Rank 20
Rank 20
November 1, 2022

Under billing my account does show:

 

Billing for 6 Oct – 5 Nov 2022

This is your current billing period. Your charges so far are £58.75

4 days until end of billing period

Your balance

Updated 11h ago

Starting balance 6 Oct £858.66 in credit
Total charges  £58.75 out
Refunds 6th Oct £66 out
Today's balance 1 Nov

£733.91 in credit

 

 

Charges in detail

 Electricity

Standing charge 26 days at 47.55p per day £12.36
Energy use charge 62.93 kWh at 30.70p £19.32

Electricity meter readings

Opening read on 6 Oct Estimated 88485

Closing read as of 12 Oct You gave 88548

Units used 62.93 kwh

 Gas

Standing charge 26 days at 27.12p per day £7.05
Energy use charge 177.31 kWh at 9.71p £17.22

Gas meter readings

 

Opening read on 6 Oct Estimated 16115
Closing read as of 12 Oct You gave 16130
Units used 177.31 kwh

 

Credits, discounts and VAT

VAT 5% of £55.95 £2.80
Total Charges £58.75 out

 

 

I have just sent in some readings today to hopefully update the figures.

Paul

Hi @Ovo Energy forum all looks good. Again i have highlighted the refund line in bold and underlined.

So your Energy Bill Support Scheme payments are working fine at the moment. It is not the easiest thing to follow as the information is over two bills

Yep always good to privide lots of meter reading. The more the better then your direct debits will be more accurate. Ideally get a smart meter, but I appreciate some don't want one. I was wary but find them great now. 

Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
Retired Moderator
November 1, 2022

Hey @adriangalilee and @darrenleaning,

 

Sorry about the issues you’re having.

 

Can you please send a screenshot of your Online Account, where it shows charges and ‘see charges in detail’.

 

Let’s get to the bottom of this! 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.