Bills and payments

Monthly fixed Direct Debit

With a monthly fixed Direct Debit, we set an amount that automatically comes out of your bank account each month on a specified day to cover your energy bills. This amount is based on the information we receive about your usage – for example figures you provide when you get a quote, or after a six-monthly review of your energy use. Energy use fluctuates across the year, but the fixed monthly amount is calculated to cover a year’s consumption in equal payments.

If you regularly overpay then you will build up credit on your account and in time we will reduce your monthly Direct Debit.

If you regularly underpay then you will build up a debt on your account and we will (with your permission) increase your monthly Direct Debit amount in order to pay off the debt and more accurately reflect your usage.

Monthly fixed Direct Debit payments are re-assessed every six months. Your statement may be adjusted each time a re-assessment is made, in order to better reflect your usage.

Monthly variable Direct Debit

With a monthly variable Direct Debit, you pay for the energy you use each month. Energy use fluctuates across the year, so this means that your payment in June could be very different to your payment in January.

For both types of Direct Debit, we’ll send you a statement fourteen calendar days before we collect your payment.

If you’re behind on your bills and you pay by monthly fixed Direct Debit, you can still make a one off payment by debit/credit card to catch up. This will be in addition to your fixed monthly Direct Debit payment.

If you choose to pay on receipt of a bill, you will receive a bill every month by post or email. It’s best to provide us with regular meter readings so we can bill you accurately each month and you don’t pay for energy you’ve not used! It also allows us to help you budget by reviewing what you pay against how much energy you are actually using, rather than receiving an estimated bill.

There are many ways to pay when your bill comes through:

• Log in to your online account.
• By phone on .
• At the  – you can pay by cash, credit or debit card at the Post Office. You will need your bill to complete this transaction as the Post Office will need to scan the barcode to allocate the payment to your account with Liverpool Energy Community Company.
• At a Paypoint – you can pay by cash, credit or debit card at any Paypoint. You will need your bill to complete this transaction as the Paypoint will need to scan the barcode to allocate the payment to your account with Liverpool Energy Community Company.

Remember, if you’re a credit customer and register for an online account you’ll get an annual discount if you manage your account online and go paperless.

If your meter is pay as you go, you can top up anywhere you see the purple and yellow PayPoint sign, at any Payzone outlet or at the .

If you, or someone you care for, are finding it difficult to pay your energy bill, we can help you. We’ll take into account your circumstances so you’ll need to tell us about your situation. Our Customer Service officers will listen and advise you on the payment options available.

At Liverpool Energy Community Company you can call our customer service team free on and discuss our pay as you go tariff with them.

If you have a smart meter, you can top up online, in person at any PayPoint outlet, or over the phone. Find out more about topping up your smart meter.

You will receive a bill or statement from us monthly so you know how much you are spending on your energy. We are different from other energy suppliers who may bill quarterly or six-monthly as we want to be completely transparent to our customers about how much they are spending on energy.

Pay as you go customers will not receive a monthly statement as Liverpool Energy Community Company receive updated meter readings when you top-up your gas or electricity. However, you will receive a yearly statement from us.

If you submit your meter readings regularly, you will only pay for what you use. To do this quickly login to your online account or give us a call for free on .

Our prices for your energy are set out in your tariff. You will get a copy of your tariff in your welcome pack. If you are on a fixed price tariff, your welcome pack will tell you when the fixed price term ends. If you are on a variable tariff, your tariff can go up or down. If we change the tariff, we will contact you in advance. This information will also be included on every bill or statement that we send to you.

Our tariffs are made up of the following charges:

• a ‘standing charge’ – which is a fixed daily amount and
• a ‘unit rate’ – an amount per unit of gas or electricity you use. The rate may depend on the time of use.

Electrical devices have their power measured in watts, for example 1,200W. To calculate the value of the power used by an electrical item, the wattage is multiplied with the amount of operating hours per day and then by the number of days per year. The total is divided by 1,000 to reach the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh). The final price is calculated by multiplying your price per kilowatt-hour by the amount of kWhs used.

Call us free on to update your details.

If you or someone you care for, are finding it difficult to pay your energy bill or meter payments we can help you. We’ll take into account your circumstances so you’ll need to tell us about your situation. Our Customer Service officers will listen and advise you on the payment options available. Setting up an arrangement to pay an agreed amount weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, can help you repay what you owe in manageable instalments.

We will take all reasonable steps to ascertain your ability to pay, and will consider this when calculating instalments. This includes the use of applicable and relevant third party info, and the value of all charges to be recovered through PPM meters.

We may also suggest installing a pay-as-you-go meter or paying direct from your means tested benefits through Fuel Direct.

Call us free on . We are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 5pm on a Saturday.

Taking further action is the last thing we want to do, so please contact us as soon as you can. If we don’t hear from you we will:

• Contact you using the details you have provided
• Pass your account to a debt collection agency
• Obtain a warrant to gain entry to your home to fit a pay as you go meter where it is safe to do so

In the event that you don’t pay and we are unable to install a pay as you go meter, we can disconnect your supply. We will not disconnect during the months of October to March if the house occupant is of pensionable age and lives i) alone, or ii) with other people that are all of pensionable age or under the age of 18.

We will take all reasonable steps not to disconnect during the months of October to March if one of the house occupants is disabled, chronically sick or is of pensionable age.

If you do experience any difficulties, call one of our Customer Services Officers on as soon as possible. We are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 5pm on Saturday.