Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.
Energy Bills
Comments
-
Computer says "I'm just as thick as a human being".clb74 said:They do make me laugh.
Was paying British gas £100 a month spring/summer 2021.
Come October they owed me £500 and put me down to £60 a month with winter coming, by April this year I owed £300.
Now £160 a month.0 -
Interestingly I was considering switching to Octopus 🐙 today but credit to them, they had a message on their website saying something along the lines of, As Energy prices are very high at the moment it’s probably not advisable to switch suppliers but to stay put and wait until fuel prices come down and then consider it.1
-
Martin Lewis is tweeting about the changes in price cap from October, now predicted to be up by 64%. He has asked people to retweet so that they are aware of what is coming.
NEWS:
— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) July 8, 2022
I feel sick writing this!
I've just got the latest price cap predictions from @CornwallInsight. A huge spike in the key year-ahead wholesale price means
OCT cap prediction UP 64% (so £3,244/yr on typical bills)
JAN cap prediction UP 4% (so £3,363/yr)
/contd2 -
Agreebobmunro said:
I agree - the solution lies perhaps in Government subsidy and as part of the overall renewables agenda. If every house in the country had solar/battery technology installed how much would that compare with the costs of on/off-shore wind farms?ShootersHillGuru said:The cost of solar panels and batteries rules out 99.9% of U.K. homes. It might well be the ecological thing to do and over the long game be cost effective but for most people it’s a fantasy.
This is not a job to be left to the private sector.
Puts me in mind of the way all victorian terraces that were originally 2 up 2 down have extensions on the back. Like... have you ever seen one that doesn't? V rare.
Know why? Govt made it basically free so that people could have inside toilets and therefore improved sanitation.
We need the same thing with solar panels!1 -
How ex-footballer’s energy gamble ended up costing bill payers £700m | Energy industry | The Guardian
Just read this and am flabbergasted. Amazing that this sort of thing was (and probably still is) allowed to go on without someone actually being hauled over the coals for doing something "wrong".
And that's the worst part; even though they appear to have been crap businessmen and ran the business badly - not even collecting money from some customers is pretty shocking! - it's arguable as to whether they actually did anything "wrong" from a legal and regulatory viewpoint. Amazing.0 -
a few hundred quid in credit with ovo. I'm not able to reduce my direct debit (they wont let me). Only started a few months ago. They only have to treat 10,000 other people the same way as me for them to have millions in the bank collecting interest. Complete scam.2
-
There's definitely a "be careful what you wish for" here. Our regulators keep maintaining that consumers need more choice to stimulate fairness and competition and ultimately enhance consumer benefit. So they lower barriers for entry and whilst some entities deservedly benefit and innovation & growth is encouraged, you also catch some sharks. Financial services is opening up now exactly like energy did a few years ago. It's not just adding competition that should be used as the tactic to enhance consumer value - when it goes wrong and the checks & balances aren't good enough, the consumer ends up worse off!Off_it said:How ex-footballer’s energy gamble ended up costing bill payers £700m | Energy industry | The Guardian
Just read this and am flabbergasted. Amazing that this sort of thing was (and probably still is) allowed to go on without someone actually being hauled over the coals for doing something "wrong".
And that's the worst part; even though they appear to have been crap businessmen and ran the business badly - not even collecting money from some customers is pretty shocking! - it's arguable as to whether they actually did anything "wrong" from a legal and regulatory viewpoint. Amazing.0 -
We are in the middle of summer though. A few hundred will likely be gone by the end of winter. Isnt that the point tho, to be in credit over summer in order to even out bills over the year.kentaddick said:a few hundred quid in credit with ovo. I'm not able to reduce my direct debit (they wont let me). Only started a few months ago. They only have to treat 10,000 other people the same way as me for them to have millions in the bank collecting interest. Complete scam.8 - Sponsored links:
-
https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2022/jul/28/shell-profits-record-households-cost-of-living-us-economy-gdp-business-live?CMP=share_btn_tw
Shell’s profits hit record $11.5bn, as UK households face winter energy bill pain – business live
1 -
Got an email this morning about my next rise from Utility Warehouse (who have been excellent to be fair to them).£102pm for gas and £87pm for electric which is about £80 a month more than what I’ve been paying. The last rise was a £40 hike.
Fortunate that I can swallow it but I dread to think about some of the decisions people have to make.2 -
I think Marin Lewis is right in as much that if the government don’t intervene in some significant way to reduce the burden on energy next winter then people are going to get very angry. In October bills are said to reach £3850 for most households. There are going to be many that just won’t be able to absorb that without serious difficulty and some not at all.I think the government are perfectly aware that they are going to have to do something but want to leave it as long as is humanly possible before making any announcement. I’m cynical enough to think that a new Prime Minister would absolutely love that as an incoming flagship policy. If I’m wrong and the government only tinker with this then I really do think civil disobedience is quite possible.
What has so far been done in the U.K. to protect energy customers is appalling. By October the rise over the previous year will have I think gone up by a staggering 64%. In France the increase has been capped by the government at 4%.5 -
There is a lot of talk of helping the poor here, which I support totally. But it is very important that the middle class get respite from the Tsunami approaching. If people are spending too much of their income on this, it will effect the economy as they won't spend it elsewhere, and create a serious recession.
3 -
Very good point. People will have to choose between say energy and eating out as often as they normally would so cut down on going out, which leads to economic downturn, job losses etc. The Government needs to do something and I’m sure they will but will it be enough.MuttleyCAFC said:There is a lot of talk of helping the poor here, which I support totally. But it is very important that the middle class get respite from the Tsunami approaching. If people are spending too much of their income on this, it will effect the economy as they won't spend it elsewhere, and create a serious recession.0 -
Quite simply, the £400.00 for all households has now been swallowed up & then some by this predicted increase in October (77% on current!) Surely the answer is to increase this to say £600/700.
That way it provides some respite to all? Or am i looking at this too objectively?0 -
Got email saying my fixed deal is ending in September - currently dual fuel ~£180pcm. Default is a switch to variable rate and they want £340pcm. Best (???) 'fixed' deal they are offering is £590pcm...1
-
the cash payments whilst welcome, are a sticking plaster on a problem requiring major surgery .. why are our energy price problems so desperate ? .. long list of reasons ..Saulc23 said:Quite simply, the £400.00 for all households has now been swallowed up & then some by this predicted increase in October (77% on current!) Surely the answer is to increase this to say £600/700.
That way it provides some respite to all? Or am i looking at this too objectively?
The lack of a long term coherent energy policy, lack of investment in nuclear power and gas storage, too much emphasis (though well meant) on 'green' power.. and mostly, too much governmental pandering to the mostly foreign owned power generators and oil producers .. unfortunately problems that will take a lot of time and most importantly will power to solve, and willpower is a commodity successive governments have simply not had3 -
I think we are well beyond this point for many households. Currently there are millions already in fuel poverty. Many are making the decision between buying energy or whether to eat. At all. Not cutting down on takeaways or meals out.LargeAddick said:
Very good point. People will have to choose between say energy and eating out as often as they normally would so cut down on going out, which leads to economic downturn, job losses etc. The Government needs to do something and I’m sure they will but will it be enough.MuttleyCAFC said:There is a lot of talk of helping the poor here, which I support totally. But it is very important that the middle class get respite from the Tsunami approaching. If people are spending too much of their income on this, it will effect the economy as they won't spend it elsewhere, and create a serious recession.
This situation shames the country and should lead to a fundamental shift in the basic economic model that has allowed this to develop. But it won't.
8 -
Please don’t think I don’t realise that, my reply was in response to Muttley’s post mentioning the middle classes and their increased spending on energy which I still think is a valid point. I am fully aware that many are having to, or will soon have to, choose between keeping warm and eating. That is scandalous in this day and age.Bournemouth Addick said:
I think we are well beyond this point for many households. Currently there are millions already in fuel poverty. Many are making the decision between buying energy or whether to eat. At all. Not cutting down on takeaways or meals out.LargeAddick said:
Very good point. People will have to choose between say energy and eating out as often as they normally would so cut down on going out, which leads to economic downturn, job losses etc. The Government needs to do something and I’m sure they will but will it be enough.MuttleyCAFC said:There is a lot of talk of helping the poor here, which I support totally. But it is very important that the middle class get respite from the Tsunami approaching. If people are spending too much of their income on this, it will effect the economy as they won't spend it elsewhere, and create a serious recession.
This situation shames the country and should lead to a fundamental shift in the basic economic model that has allowed this to develop. But it won't.0 - Sponsored links:
-
Thank goodness I’m in a position not to need to make a decision between eating and heating but if I was one of those people needing to choose between keeping my family warm or fed then I would be very very angry. If nothing is done then there are going to be a lot of very angry people looking for someone to blame.2
-
Following on from Mutley's point, I live in a remote location and have a heavy reliance on oil and electricity as gas is not available. The price cap model sets a cost/kW that gives a maximum cost for the average household. What it doesn't do is factor in the impact on high comsumption households (I am remote and wholly reliant on electricity / oil). What is a 70-80% for the "average household" is in fact a 200-300% rise for high consumption households.
There is no way I can afford this hike (which could be an extra £8k for me), and I know a lot of others in our village are in the same boat with zero wage inflation.
Whilst I am no great fan of Liz Truss, the moratorium on the Green Levy is the only proposal I've heard that will actually help everyone.0 -
I think a big problem was that there were too many operators. Let's be honest, when you change from one provider to another, the gas/electricity comes from the same place. We are paying for discounted prices from companies that have gone bust. This is an industry that needs to be run by one provider for the public and the environment not many providers for the shareholders. Call me a marxist
7 -
I go back to this .. all the 'independent' providers need serious scrutiny around the salaries and dividends paid to managers, owners and investorsLincsaddick said:
Bulb is another one of those energy suppliers which i m o verge on the edge of fraudulent trading .. they are being propped up by the Govt through increased energy bills for all other users .. other companies just prior to going bust have handed out bonuses and dividends to their owners/share holders, knowing the company is failing .. this is evidently OK according to company law, to my mind the recipients of this cash and those who paid it should all spend a few months in the slammer and have their bank a/cs frozen ..Rizzo said:For various reasons we don't have a smart meter so I have to submit readings myself. When I don't, they (Bulb) use estimated readings. On my latest bill and statement they overestimated my electricity use by a massive 893 KwH over just 2 months since my last meter readings at the end of March. Applying their current price of 28.221p/KwH that equated to being overcharged by £252.01 in just 2 months!! The gas has also been overestimated but only by about a month's worth. Un-fucking-believable!
I complained about this of course and they have credited the overcharged amount back to my account (Bulb account, not bank account; so they've still got the money) and reduced the monthly payments a bit. I'm now going to be submitting meter readings every month and calculating how much I'm actually spending rather than the amount they want me to pay.
https://youtu.be/wNt74QfkmEw0 -
All the utilities should have remained nationalised and run by the state. We now have private companies making huge profits whilst ordinary people suffer. I used to think that privatisation was a good thing, but it's clear now that privatising the utilities has been very bad for the average person.MuttleyCAFC said:I think a big problem was that there were too many operators. Let's be honest, when you change from one provider to another, the gas/electricity comes from the same place. We are paying for discounted prices from companies that have gone bust. This is an industry that needs to be run by one provider for the public and the environment not many providers for the shareholders. Call me a marxist7 -
The theory of multiple operators giving customers more choice and encouraging competition doesn't take into account corporate greed. All utilities should be state owned - for national security reasons alone.MuttleyCAFC said:I think a big problem was that there were too many operators. Let's be honest, when you change from one provider to another, the gas/electricity comes from the same place. We are paying for discounted prices from companies that have gone bust. This is an industry that needs to be run by one provider for the public and the environment not many providers for the shareholders. Call me a marxist
Call me a Marxist too!12 -
"If you’re not a socialist before you’re twenty-five, you have no heart; if you are a socialist after twenty-five, you have no head".ME14addick said:
All the utilities should have remained nationalised and run by the state. We now have private companies making huge profits whilst ordinary people suffer. I used to think that privatisation was a good thing, but it's clear now that privatising the utilities has been very bad for the average person.MuttleyCAFC said:I think a big problem was that there were too many operators. Let's be honest, when you change from one provider to another, the gas/electricity comes from the same place. We are paying for discounted prices from companies that have gone bust. This is an industry that needs to be run by one provider for the public and the environment not many providers for the shareholders. Call me a marxist
You certainly contradict in reverse that famous quote, Emmy! (That's no bad thing - so do I as I've been a socialist all my life).4 -
The last two and a half years have taught me to have completely different political view from the one I have had most of my life. It's never too late to change!bobmunro said:
"If you’re not a socialist before you’re twenty-five, you have no heart; if you are a socialist after twenty-five, you have no head".ME14addick said:
All the utilities should have remained nationalised and run by the state. We now have private companies making huge profits whilst ordinary people suffer. I used to think that privatisation was a good thing, but it's clear now that privatising the utilities has been very bad for the average person.MuttleyCAFC said:I think a big problem was that there were too many operators. Let's be honest, when you change from one provider to another, the gas/electricity comes from the same place. We are paying for discounted prices from companies that have gone bust. This is an industry that needs to be run by one provider for the public and the environment not many providers for the shareholders. Call me a marxist
You certainly contradict in reverse that famous quote, Emmy! (That's no bad thing - so do I as I've been a socialist all my life).3 -
Absolute shambles, made even worse by the profits announced by the likes of Shell and Centrica. I’ll add my voice to the Marxist chorus. Greed has got out of hand. We’re reaping years of more money flowing into a smaller pool of people. The problem is that this form of greed has become entrenched in capitalist society. Good luck to any party wanting to nail their colours to nationalization for fear of the stupid dog whistling backlash they’re likely to get and the label as woke communists.All that is happening is that too many powerful people and powerful corporations are sucking the bottom end of society dry until there is nothing left, and it’s pretty much going on unregulated. There are many on here who understand the tax system better than I do, but if we genuinely want things to change and for those at the top to not kill off those at the bottom, the very wealthy, whether it be individuals or corporations need to put more back in, a lot more. We have so many loop holes in our system that have existed for years that people have been able to take the piss out of. With this, the state of the planet and what I believe is a creaking society because of how we have behaved as a race over the last 40/50 years, we aren’t that far off proper civil unrest on a big scale.Might sound drastic, but it’s getting worse, not better - I wouldn’t write it off8
-
Maybe we could start be voting for people trying to change things rather than the architects of it all. The elephant in the room is the price the French are paying. I don't think they are marxists but if you advocate nationalisation for the industry you are called a marxist and reminded penison funds are shareholders.
Mind you, the Americans call us Marxists, even Tories, for wanting a National Health Service! I'm definitely not a Marxist btw. It is just logical to have one nationalised company managing this, all it needs is a list of standards stating what it is there for and how it will deliver for customers and the environment.2
