Martin Lewis says ‘don’t panic’ if you didn’t submit meter reading
Martin Lewis has reassured people who could not submit a meter reading yesterday they still have time.
Customers reported issues logging in to supplier websites, including British Gas, EDF, E.On, SSE, So Energy and Octopus Energy early on Thursday.
MoneySavingExpert founder Lewis had urged householders to submit meter readings to avoid being overcharged for their usage after the 54% increase to Ofgem’s price cap came into effect today.
Lewis said customers still had a week to submit their meter reading to their energy firm.
He tweeted: ‘Many still worried as they’ve been unable to do a meter reading.
‘Don’t worry if you have the reading from yesterday (or even just get it today) you normally have up to a week to submit it.”
In a separate tweet, he added: ‘Just take a photo of it, you’ve usually up to a week to get it to them.’
Energy firms singled out Lewis and his pleas to consumers to submit meter readings as they faced anger over their websites crashing.
On Twitter, E.On took aim at Lewis for ‘bringing down Britain’ after he was among experts who encouraged consumers this week to take their meter readings before the higher price cap came into force today.
In a tweet that has since been deleted, E.On said: ‘Unfortunately the website and phone lines of every supplier are being hammered today. Martin has once again created unprecedented demand bringing down Britain.’
E.On later apologised for the tweet.
Octopus Energy also mentioned Lewis as it explained to customers what was behind its website struggling to process meter readings.
Lewis downplayed E.On’s comment, later posting on Twitter: ‘On the Eon tweet – I think it was someone trying to be funny – who forgot that you can’t do a wry smile in twitter.
‘Rather than anyone actually suggesting I’m “breaking Britain’ I’m always forgiving of human error (as I make ’em myself). So let’s move on. Nowt to see here ‘gov’
Households will see the biggest rise in the cost of energy in living memory from Friday when bills increase by 54%, or almost £700, to just under £2,000 a year.
The energy price cap for those on default tariffs who pay by direct debit is rising by £693 from £1,277 to £1,971 from April 1.
Prepayment customers will see a bigger jump, with their price cap going up by £708, from £1,309 to £2,017.
The regulator was forced to hike the energy price cap to a record £1,971 for a typical household as gas prices soared to unprecedented highs.
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