Fuel Direct cancelled with swapping to UC

Hello everyone.

I wonder if anyone can help me as I am at the end of my tether and need some advice.

Anyone else been through this with DWP?

Having been through the harrowing experience of DWP moving me from esa support group to UC and ( new style Esa). What was the point of that! But that's another discussion.

I was on the fuel direct scheme for British gas and had been for several years or gas and electricity. They take a percentage out of your ( then esa) deducted out of your benifits.

I didn't realise and wasn't informed that apparently this doesn't transfer over to your ( new style employment support allowance or universal credit. Even though the DWP representative that came to my home to see me when they needed to check my ID she told me she would see that this was transferred over.

I took her word for it, and it's been a stressful time since April when all this migrating started.

My first new style esa was £36 short of what the DWP representative ( telephone appointment) told me it would be so I quarried it and was told it was fuel direct deductions.

Trying to cut the story short but, I had a very nasty letter from British gas Demanding full payment of my bill very large amount within 7 days as the DWP had cancelled my fuel direct payments.

Contacted DWP via the Journal. They said Contact British gas to set it back up again.

I've also been with stepchange since January as I was struggling with my money and being on heavy medication for my illness was struggling working my finances out.

I've been paying British gas £132 a month for my usage.

Fuel Direct £30 a month to pay the debt off.

All this was agreed with British gas that I could pay by fuel direct to pay towards what I owe and stepchange for my usage.

I've been on the phone for over two hours this afternoon a very confusing and somewhat stalling of sorts conversation with a British gas representative.

Basically BG will not put me back on the fuel Direct scheme, blinding me with terminology that I don't understand and keeping me on hold for 15 minutes at a time. They wanted me to make a payment today, I told them I am already paying £132 a month via stepchange actually gone to them today which they acknowledged. They then proceeded to say I set up my own payment plan with them. I said I'd prefer to have money taken from my benifits as then I know the debt is being paid off I explained my difficulties with working my finances out with them. My usage I pay via stepchange.

I explained DWP had informed me to ask them to set the payment up again. For some reason they say the system will not allow them to?

Why won't they put me back on the fuel direct scheme as DWP asked?

I think they are trying to bully me into a pre payment meter which terrifies me because as well as physical Disabilities I have agrophobia and live in a very rural area . I'm afraid I won't survive if they do.

I contacted DWP UC via the Journal. They have absolutely no empathy at all . I was basically told that UC was there to help people get the entitlement and i need to contact British gas and go on my way. I was absolutely flabbergasted not only did the lady that took my telephone appointment from DWP said if there is anything I am worried about or need any help with contact them through my Journal!

Absolutely no help or support at all from DWP.

I thought DWP controlled the fuel direct scheme? I wondered if anyone on here knows.

I don't know what to do now. DWP are soleless entities. They gave me the telephone number of stepchange that I told them I'm already with .

The DWP have got me in a vulnerable situation with British gas now as the fuel direct scheme protects you from inforced prepaid meters or disconnection. I'm terrified.

Sorry for the very long post.

DWP have just sailed me down the river without a paddle or any other support whatsoever.

I'm on my own and have no one to turn to.

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

Thank you for reading.

Xx