Im not sure which tariff that you are meaning here.

There is a Spreading Warmth Tariff that indeed has met its quota which was earnings of under £13,500 per annuam household income, children under 16, pensionable age etc etc.

If you are now earning below that quota now but the tariff is no longer available then theres not a lot you can do. Also to say that they hand out this option to anyone they choose is unfair, they will rely on what information the person gives and make judgement from there. Its like a benefit from the government, most people slip through the net simply by not telling the full story and let down people like yourself who, if the Tariff was not now withdrawn would certainly have been entitled to.

The First Step option is indeed that, you need to have a debt in place and unable to make enough payments towards the account due to your circumstances. I understand that you feel they should be stopping people coming into debt. If you have zero on your account, the assumption will automatically be that you arent in a debt situation.

How can they prevent a 'debt', they cant predict your bill. They have to have something to work with so they can get a pattern of your usage and also break that debt down over a period of time.

When you get your next balance, get on the phone and tell them simply you WANT to pay your bill but your situation means that you are unable to do soor unable to meet the minimum required (esp payment plans). Then they can look into what arrangements can be made, lower your unit tariffs and they also review your accounts after six months to see if they helps is still needed or that you can now manage.

I dont mean to be picky here but just remember, the Tariffs are on a high probability signed up for over the telephone. Its not like a visit is made by a doctor etc to assess if you are entitled. Unfortunately there are people who grab as much as they get, dont actually consider they dont really need the help and let down folks who are in awkward situations not of their doing.

N

Unfortunately, if there is a government hand out and nPower can decide where it goes, it wont go to a vulnerable family.

It might be worth looking into switching to another supplier. You can get quotes for the normal tariffs using the tools on this site and those who offer social tariffs are listed here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/working_lunch/7288241.stm

Hi, I've just been trying to get npower to change my tariff. In Jan 09 I contacted them and gave them an estimate of my income and was told that I earned too much for the social tariff. I'm now receiving Income Based JSA and a number of other benefits and have revised my income to a fraction of that previously.

On contacting npower today I find that they closed the tariff on Monday as they had reached their 100,000 quota of customers registered on this tariff. I told them that I didn't want to pay by DD due to bank charges on missed payments and DD increases so I've been informed I have to stay on their standard tariff.

Part of the response to my situation from npower was :-

"in order for a customer to be eligible for First Step, there needs to be a balance on their account at that time. Therefore, the best way forward for you is to wait until you receive your next invoice due at the start of April 2009 and should the balance not be cleared within 16 days then a reminder letter has been received, you would then need to contact our Collections Department as detailed on the reminder letter and request that they consider your eligibility for the First Step scheme so a referral can be sent to the relevant department"

As a vulnerable family (I have a disabled child) I find it incredible that a company as big as npower can't assist me before I start getting into financial trouble and start building unmanagable debts. It seems to me that they want to put profit ahead of customers.

So, what now??