£1,000 energy debt wiped thanks to Green Doctor

Tracey from Nottingham has been overpaying her energy supplier for years, resulting in a £1,000 debt that sent her mental health issues spiralling. With help from regional charity Groundwork Five Counties and its Green Doctor energy advisors, Tracey had her debt wiped – a huge relief.

Tracey is in her mid-fifties with a range of physical and mental health conditions which leaves her unable to work, and she relies on benefits. When she moved into her home in 2019 after a major surgery, she was getting billed over £400 a month for her energy usage.

She says: “I live in a two-bedroom maisonette, there was no way those bills were correct. I kept ringing my energy supplier and they insisted I must use that much. It was simply not true, but I couldn’t get them to see sense.

“I was so worried about using energy that I confined myself to just one room, so I didn’t have to heat the house. I would wear the same clothes for a week to save on washing and I was scared to put the kettle on.

“It took a massive toll on my mental health, on top of painful recoveries from multiple surgeries and ongoing health problems. My depression and anxiety became so much worse, I woke up in a panic every morning. I considered ending my life.”

Tracey found an advertisement for the Green Doctor at her local community centre. This energy and debt advice service from charity Groundwork Five Counties provides free support to households around the East Midlands. She made the call to get a home visit to discuss her debt.

Green Doctor Kirsty discovered that Tracey’s bills were estimated, as she did not have a smart meter and she had been unable to provide meter readings due to her limited mobility. The supplier had grossly overestimated and overcharged Tracey for years. Together, they rang to rectify the issue.

Tracey says: “Kirsty knew exactly what to say, and she was very persistent that the error was on the supplier’s part. Within ten minutes, they agreed to wipe the debt that had been hanging over me for so long. I simply couldn’t believe it, until I got the letter through confirming the balance is £0!

“Kirsty is an angel in disguise. This is the best thing that’s happened to me in six years. I feel like I got a new lease on life, it’s helped my mental health to no end. The Green Doctor saved me.”

The fully funded Green Doctor service is available in the East Midlands to people of any age and background, whether they own their home, rent, or are a council or social housing tenant. It is funded by local and national funders.

For more information and to get a free home visit, visit the website: https://www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/green-doctor/