I'm worried about paying my energy bills

Q: After last winter, I’m really worried about falling behind on my energy bills again as we head into the colder months. We're careful about what we use but with small kids it’s hard to keep our usage down. What can I do if I’m struggling to keep up with payments?

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A: It’s understandable to feel anxious about energy costs at this time of year. Remember that help is available if you're struggling to afford your bills or you've fallen behind on payments.

First, contact your energy supplier - they're responsible for helping you find solutions, like affordable repayment plans if you have energy debts. Each supplier offers different support, so get in touch to explain your circumstances, and see how they can help you.

Next, check you're receiving accurate bills or if they’re based on estimated energy usage by looking for the word “estimated” or the letter “E” next to the readings. You might get estimated bills if your smart meter has stopped automatically sending readings, or if you have a non-smart meter and haven't sent a reading for awhile. To get bills based on the energy you're actually using, submit regular meter readings. A smart meter should do this for you, so if you have one and think it isn’t working or if you're interested in getting one installed, speak to your supplier.