Public planning tool

Winter Direct Debit Planner

Estimate a payment that is designed to keep your energy account in credit through higher winter use. Your household figures stay in this browser and are never sent to EPI.

Before you start

This planner estimates a Direct Debit designed to cover forecast energy use and retain a safety buffer. It is not a bill, quote or supplier payment instruction.

Read Ofgem energy advice

Your household details

Calculation basis: GB average, Direct Debit, single-rate electricity.

Current energy-account balance

200 means £200 credit. -200 means £200 debt.

Current monthly Direct Debit

Ofgem typical household usage — electricity

Use the annual consumption shown on your latest bill for a more personal estimate.

kWh

Ofgem typical household usage — gas

Use the annual consumption shown on your latest bill for a more personal estimate.

kWh

Next Direct Debit date

Forecast starting pointInclude current month in fullAssumes the current month’s energy costs have not yet been billed. This is the conservative option.Start from next Direct Debit dateAssumes energy costs before the next Direct Debit date are already reflected in the account balance.

Safety buffer

Leave blank to use one average month’s forecast energy cost.

Tariff choice

Use current price-cap ratesEnter my own tariff rates

If you have an energy debt

If your account is in debt, or you have historic energy debt to repay, act early. The monthly payment needed to cover future energy use will not repay existing debt unless a repayment amount is included.

What to do:

Review your recent usage and current account balance.
Include any existing energy debt in your payment discussion.
Ask your supplier to agree a sustainable Direct Debit covering both expected usage and debt repayment.
Check the payment remains affordable through the higher-use winter months.

Key tip

Speak with your supplier as soon as possible. Early contact gives you more options to agree a manageable payment plan and avoid the debt increasing.

How this estimate works

The planner allocates annual electricity and gas use across every day of the next 365 days using the Studio seasonal profiles. It applies the applicable rate-schedule entry for each date and calculates standing charges by the exact number of days.