Martin Lewis tells British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, Octopus customers to act 'by tomorrow'

Martin Lewis has urged British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON and Octopus to reach out to him "by tomorrow". The BBC Sounds podcast presenter put out a rallying cry for customers to get in contact with their energy bill queries before his latest episode.

ITV regular Mr Lewis wrote: "Do you have questions on energy bills? eg Should you fix energy now? Can you cut standing charges?. That's the subject of my podcast tomorrow, so if you've got questions to suggest on owt energy (inc winter fuel payments) just do them by reply and the producers will collate and I'll try and answer."

"Why do we still have a standing charge at all? I’m so fed up paying 1/3rd of my energy bills to pay off failed energy retailers. Why not roll the standing charge into the unit rates and stop penalising those who are frugal with energy usage?" a fan asked.

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Mr Lewis said: "I have been campaigning to shift a chunk to the unit rate. Though it is worth noting only a little of the standing cahrge is to pay off failed suppliers, much is distribution and network costs." A second said: "I have one, I'm sick to death of paying exorbitant prices just to keep the lights on and that's before winter comes, should I say to @OVOEnergy that im going to stop buying power and live in the dark and tell my landlord that i will use gas appliances that go against my tenancy?"

"My question is when are the regulators going to stop this mass rip off? For the last 4 years energy companies (and others) have announced record breaking profits despite global influences. I am tired of paying bosses huge bonuses while I am struggling to buy food each week!!" another wrote.

"The problem with standing charges is that poor people pay exactly the same as rich people. Rich people who live in places when poor people even can't dream of (villages or housesone the hill) where maintenance is more costly are paying the same as pensioner," another typed.

"My account is currently sitting over £500 in credit and yet my provider has sent me an email saying I need to up my DD from £140 a month to £185. I appreciate I'll spend more over winter but surely this is unnecessary?" another asked in reply.