Direct debit explained.

If you have had quotes for a cheaper online energy deal and, you have seen – “Quarterly Variable Direct Debit” as a payment method with SSE, This is what it is…..

Types of direct debit payments for energy bills

The most common way of paying your energy bill by direct debit is:

Monthly direct debit:

With monthly direct debit, your supplier will calculate what they think you will consume over one year, then divide it by 12. This is likely to leave you in credit during the summer months and, in arrears through the winter months.

The least common way of paying your energy bill by direct debit is:

Quarterly Variable Direct Debit:

This is based on your actual energy consumption over 3 months (Providing you have given the supplier your meter reading) If you don’t provide your meter readings, you will be debited an amount based on an estimate of your usage.

With this payment method, you just pay for the energy you have consumed. Therefore, you won’t be in credit, nor arrears at any time. Of course, it also means, you will be debited a larger amount in the winter months.

How to get it

If you fancy signing up to SSE to get a tariff with this payment method, you can get it through a comparison site.

We suggest you go through an Ofgem Accredited Comparison Site. They have to follow a strict set of rules which put the consumer first. You may only get the monthly direct debit version through a comparison site.