Direct debit payments have at least doubled for one in four energy users, research claims. British Gas and Octopus are among the firms singled out by furious customers in a survey. Energy prices went up by 54% in April, but some direct debits went up 100%. Money expert Martin Lewis, left, said: “That smells wrong.” According to Lewis they should only be seeing rises in line with the price cap, 45% to 65%. Households already buckling under the cost-of-living crisis are facing ­soaring direct debits for energy bills. But one in four customers claim theirs have at least doubled, despite being on a price cap and in credit. A survey by MoneySavingExpert.com found firms including British Gas were among those users complained about. Watchdog Ofgem, which allowed suppliers to increase prices by an average of 54% at the start of April, has vowed to look into the claims. The average rise for Octopus customers was said to be 80%, with 32% claiming their payments had more than doubled. For Shell Energy, 30% said direct debit pay-outs had doubled, with the average increase being 70%. And in the survey, conducted between April 26 and May 3, 27% of E-on users said theirs had gone up by 100% or more, with the average at 71%. Mr Lewis urged affected customers to challenge their payments and if suppliers refuse to lower them then complain to the Energy Ombudsman.

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