Like many people, I recently received a message from my energy supplier telling me that my monthly Direct Debit needed to increase.

I currently pay £230.89 a month, but EDF wanted to raise that to £311.15 from 1 October. That is an increase of £80.26 every month—or £963.12 over a full year.

For a pensioner living on a fixed income, that is a lot of money.

What made the increase even harder to understand was that my energy account was already £174.71 in credit. My latest bill was £148.40, which was considerably less than the £230.89 I had paid by Direct Debit that month.

EDF explained that the proposed increase was based on my current balance and estimated energy consumption over the following 12 months. I understand that winter is approaching and energy use can increase, but I still could not see how such a large rise could be justified.

There isn't much more we can cut back on

We already use very little energy where we can avoid it.

Our central heating is generally not switched on. We only use it when the weather becomes extremely cold. All our lights are low-energy, and we have not used our tumble dryer for several years.

We do use the washing machine daily, and we have an upright freezer and a fridge-freezer running. However, these are ordinary household necessities. There comes a point when there simply is not much more you can reasonably switch off.

I do not believe pensioners should have to sit in a freezing, dark house to prove that they are trying to save energy.

That £80 has to come from somewhere

When you live on a fixed income, an extra £80 a month does not magically appear. It has to be taken away from something else.

For me, that money helps to pay for my camping trips, days out, the occasional visit to the pub and a meal out with my wife. Those things may be described as luxuries, but they are also part of enjoying retirement.

I worked long hours for many years and retired at 66 so that I could finally have more time for myself. Camping, travelling, taking photographs and enjoying an occasional meal out are not extravagant habits. They are some of the things that make retirement worthwhile.

Losing £80.26 every month would have made a genuine difference to our lives.

I contacted EDF

Rather than simply accepting the increase, I contacted EDF and explained my circumstances.

I told them that I am a 70-year-old pensioner living on a fixed income and that I could not afford to pay any more. I have already checked whether I qualify for Pension Credit or additional financial support, but I do not qualify for anything.

The lady I spoke to was helpful and understanding. She listened to what I had to say and agreed that my monthly payment could remain at £230.89.

So, credit where credit is due: my concern was with the automatic calculation, not with the person who dealt with me. She treated me fairly and did not make the conversation difficult or uncomfortable.

You do not necessarily have to accept an automatic increase

The lesson I took from this is simple: do not ignore a message about your energy payments, but do not assume you have no choice other than to accept it.

Energy companies use estimates to calculate Direct Debits. Those estimates may take account of the approaching winter, previous consumption and predicted prices, but an automated calculation does not know what you can realistically afford.

If your supplier proposes an increase that you cannot manage, contact them. Explain your income, your energy use and your account balance. Ask them to review the figures and tell you exactly how they calculated the new payment.

I was not refusing to pay for the energy we use. I was not asking EDF to wipe away a debt—in fact, my account was in credit. I was simply saying that I could not afford an additional £80.26 every month based on an estimate of what I might use in the future.

One telephone conversation meant that nearly £1,000 a year remained under my control.

For me, that money represents camping trips, days out and time spent enjoying the retirement I worked so hard to reach. And I think that was a telephone call well worth making.