last quarter gas/ electric bill for Oct - Jan just landed in my inbox - £1,075.44 (ouch !)
Blimey mate, do you live in a 20 bedroom mansion? Surely that can't be right?
I assume you are paying your bills quarterly? Given the madhouse we are now in with our power bills I don't know if this is still the case but paying with a monthly direct debit was always cheaper. Might be worth seeing if that is possible with your current supplier and whether it would reduce your bills.
May I ask how many Lifers fixed their contract price in the past each time the current one was coming to an end.
We've done this for many years , online, no fuss etc and currently have a fixed rate with EDF until August 2023.
In a 15 year old Georgian style, 3 bed terraced house, we are paying £78pm.
consider yourself very lucky Fanny. If you were on a three year fixed now that ended tomorrow you would notice the difference. You would be on the price cap as no fixed deals are now available. Hopefully by August 2023 prices may have fallen and fixed deals may be back on the table but I wouldn't hold your breath.
Standard variable tariff, to be honest it's always alot more in winter - hadn't particularly taken too much notice of them since we moved in and just took over the existing British Gas deal - we've also got a smart meter.
We're on a fixed till September, so going to try and build up a reserve now. On a Smart Meter, plus have a load of smart home kit which can be tweaked to reduce costs.
To get anything like the fixed deals we've seen in the past when this finally settles down there will need to be plenty of competition. But that ain't gonna happen. The small firms that were squeezing the cost to consumers have been completely obliterated by the wholesale gas prices rocketing.
I’m no expert on this but have just been listening to LBC where some interesting and unknown to me facts were given and ideas floated. Please forgive any small errors I might make because as I say this was on the radio. Apparently the U.K. still imports 4 millions tons of coal. We are sitting on enough coal to provide all energy needs for the U.K. for 50 years in coal reserves. Germany are still building coal fired power stations using carbon capture technology which is 20% more expensive than just burning the stuff. There is enough shale gas in the U.K. to provide all energy needs for 47 years. The idea floated was that the U.K. should whilst it ramps up renewable energy sources fall back in a limited and targeted way on our natural reserves. That’s not trying to open hundreds of coal mines or Fracking sites but to in the short term only utilise what we have. My instinct is to think no but I do think that we might need to investigate these limited options to see if it’s viable and the correct thing to do ? I’m sure some of you will be much better placed than I to offer an opinion and correct my post.
Not an expert in this either but that really isn't a short term solution in any way:
- we have no fracking facilities at all in this country. There was one in Lancashire but it ceased operations in 2019 after several earthquakes in the. National policy effectively prohibits plannning permissions for fracking. In order to start fracking in the UK, national policy would have to change (a year if at all?). Investment, site acquisition, design and planning permission would have to be secured in the face of very strong local and NGO opposition (minimum 3 years with judcial challenges more liekly 5+ and that's before commencing construction.
- I don't thin we have a single operational coal mine left in the UK. I don't knwo how many old ones coudl be brought back on stream. I don't think it would be at all easy to do so - certainly not a case of restarting operations. MInes woudl have been decomissioned with all equipment removed, land remediated and shafts refilled and in many cases sold off for development.
- carbon apture is possible but it's very expensive, uses up a lot of energy itself and requires huge areas for storage. Again not a short term solution. We have hardly any coal fired power stations let so woudl have to build new ones - it takes a long time to design, secure permission (very controlversial) and construct.
There actually needs to be some regulation in the market when prices do drop, the spinning up of an energy company shouldn't be as easy as it was
Exactly that. Another industry that has been able to operate with rogue characters and paper thin business plans by its governing body.
Where have we heard that before??
Quiet, but I compare the energy market to the banking industry, where Monzo and Starling can't sneeze with the PRU/FCA/BOE being all over them, where in this industry, OfGEM hand out licenses without any due diligence.
Wait! How could they do that surely their masters in Brussels would not have allowed it, or were we lied to?
Some interesting solutions suggested above. My feeling is that we should nationalise the energy sector. It cannot be right that huge profits are being made whilst people have to decide between heating or eating.
There actually needs to be some regulation in the market when prices do drop, the spinning up of an energy company shouldn't be as easy as it was
Exactly that. Another industry that has been able to operate with rogue characters and paper thin business plans by its governing body.
Where have we heard that before??
Quiet, but I compare the energy market to the banking industry, where Monzo and Starling can't sneeze with the PRU/FCA/BOE being all over them, where in this industry, OfGEM hand out licenses without any due diligence.
Most people I know were Anti Corbyn with his plans to renationalise the utilities, was never a fan of him myself but it would certainly have made managing this crisis a lot easier. The government's suggestion of giving energy companies money to reduce bills has the same ring of the eight and a half billion invested in PPE, now written off.
i don't think that's why people were anti corbyn. People were anti corbyn because he was/is a crank. Some of the policies were quite good, but, much like the current government, there's only so long you can put lipstick on a pig.
Corbyn has consistently been right about almost everything. I don't know why you call him a crank (I suspect you believe the lies told about him), he was our hope of a better future but he was destroyed by the media. Where were they when the lies were being told about Corbyn? Yet they are on the case with lies against Starmer - I wonder why.
There actually needs to be some regulation in the market when prices do drop, the spinning up of an energy company shouldn't be as easy as it was
Exactly that. Another industry that has been able to operate with rogue characters and paper thin business plans by its governing body.
Where have we heard that before??
Quiet, but I compare the energy market to the banking industry, where Monzo and Starling can't sneeze with the PRU/FCA/BOE being all over them, where in this industry, OfGEM hand out licenses without any due diligence.
Post 2008.
They couldn't have existed pre 2008, but this should be a watershed for regulation in this space, instead the usual ghouls on the right are talking about lighter regulation in the economy
all very well going green until the wind don't blow, the giant windmills rust and fall into the sea and more eco companies go broke and need yet more government (i.e. taxpayer) bail outs ..
there are unexploited gas fields beneath the seas all around the UK coast, meanwhile gas produced from the few existing north sea gas fields is being exported by the oil/energy companies ..
two things .. the rush to 'go green' must be controlled in a sensible manner .. in the shorter term there is a massive need to still use gas to heat homes and to generate electricity and for petrol to power vehicles .. it is ridiculous to expect millions of home owners dependant on domestic gas to convert at a stroke to expensive electric equipment .. the UK MUST open up all available means of gas extraction and then ensure that 'big energy' sells it exclusively to UK consumers
secondly, probably too late and now too expensive, surely nuclear power is the greenest way to produce electricity even given the problems around the storing of the radioactive waste inherent in its generation... I am asking for the impossible with the current bunch of dreary incompetents on all sides of 'the house' BUT we must ask and expect more of our government(s) to sort out the ever increasing problems which the country is experiencing .. otherwise move over rover and let a dictator take over !! ((:>)
So, we were all happy when the energy companies were forced to sell the energy at a loss due to the previous cap, but are now unhappy that the cap has changed (as it does every 6 months) because the wholesale prices have rocketed this last year ?
I’m no expert on this but have just been listening to LBC where some interesting and unknown to me facts were given and ideas floated. Please forgive any small errors I might make because as I say this was on the radio. Apparently the U.K. still imports 4 millions tons of coal. We are sitting on enough coal to provide all energy needs for the U.K. for 50 years in coal reserves. Germany are still building coal fired power stations using carbon capture technology which is 20% more expensive than just burning the stuff. There is enough shale gas in the U.K. to provide all energy needs for 47 years. The idea floated was that the U.K. should whilst it ramps up renewable energy sources fall back in a limited and targeted way on our natural reserves. That’s not trying to open hundreds of coal mines or Fracking sites but to in the short term only utilise what we have. My instinct is to think no but I do think that we might need to investigate these limited options to see if it’s viable and the correct thing to do ? I’m sure some of you will be much better placed than I to offer an opinion and correct my post.
Not an expert in this either but that really isn't a short term solution in any way:
- we have no fracking facilities at all in this country. There was one in Lancashire but it ceased operations in 2019 after several earthquakes in the. National policy effectively prohibits plannning permissions for fracking. In order to start fracking in the UK, national policy would have to change (a year if at all?). Investment, site acquisition, design and planning permission would have to be secured in the face of very strong local and NGO opposition (minimum 3 years with judcial challenges more liekly 5+ and that's before commencing construction.
- I don't thin we have a single operational coal mine left in the UK. I don't knwo how many old ones coudl be brought back on stream. I don't think it would be at all easy to do so - certainly not a case of restarting operations. MInes woudl have been decomissioned with all equipment removed, land remediated and shafts refilled and in many cases sold off for development.
- carbon apture is possible but it's very expensive, uses up a lot of energy itself and requires huge areas for storage. Again not a short term solution. We have hardly any coal fired power stations let so woudl have to build new ones - it takes a long time to design, secure permission (very controlversial) and construct.
I hear all of that but by short term I think we’re talking about 20 years here. Renewable will come online gradually but it’s going to take a long time to replace existing. Carbon capture is the route the Germans are taking for the medium future. I think they realise that unless they do there will be a reliance on imported gas for far too long. The Germans don’t bollox up too much.
May I ask how many Lifers fixed their contract price in the past each time the current one was coming to an end.
We've done this for many years , online, no fuss etc and currently have a fixed rate with EDF until August 2023.
In a 15 year old Georgian style, 3 bed terraced house, we are paying £78pm.
My gas and electricity is provided by Shell Energy. I have a fixed tariff until August 2023 thank goodness. I have a four bedroom detached house built in 1976. Currently I am paying £167 per month for both.
Comments
We've done this for many years , online, no fuss etc and currently have a fixed rate with EDF until August 2023.
In a 15 year old Georgian style, 3 bed terraced house, we are paying £78pm.
I assume you are paying your bills quarterly? Given the madhouse we are now in with our power bills I don't know if this is still the case but paying with a monthly direct debit was always cheaper. Might be worth seeing if that is possible with your current supplier and whether it would reduce your bills.
The small firms that were squeezing the cost to consumers have been completely obliterated by the wholesale gas prices rocketing.
- we have no fracking facilities at all in this country. There was one in Lancashire but it ceased operations in 2019 after several earthquakes in the. National policy effectively prohibits plannning permissions for fracking. In order to start fracking in the UK, national policy would have to change (a year if at all?). Investment, site acquisition, design and planning permission would have to be secured in the face of very strong local and NGO opposition (minimum 3 years with judcial challenges more liekly 5+ and that's before commencing construction.
- I don't thin we have a single operational coal mine left in the UK. I don't knwo how many old ones coudl be brought back on stream. I don't think it would be at all easy to do so - certainly not a case of restarting operations. MInes woudl have been decomissioned with all equipment removed, land remediated and shafts refilled and in many cases sold off for development.
- carbon apture is possible but it's very expensive, uses up a lot of energy itself and requires huge areas for storage. Again not a short term solution. We have hardly any coal fired power stations let so woudl have to build new ones - it takes a long time to design, secure permission (very controlversial) and construct.
Where have we heard that before??
Some interesting solutions suggested above. My feeling is that we should nationalise the energy sector. It cannot be right that huge profits are being made whilst people have to decide between heating or eating.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/shell-energy-prices-rise-profits-b2006664.html
there are unexploited gas fields beneath the seas all around the UK coast, meanwhile gas produced from the few existing north sea gas fields is being exported by the oil/energy companies ..
two things .. the rush to 'go green' must be controlled in a sensible manner .. in the shorter term there is a massive need to still use gas to heat homes and to generate electricity and for petrol to power vehicles .. it is ridiculous to expect millions of home owners dependant on domestic gas to convert at a stroke to expensive electric equipment .. the UK MUST open up all available means of gas extraction and then ensure that 'big energy' sells it exclusively to UK consumers
secondly, probably too late and now too expensive, surely nuclear power is the greenest way to produce electricity even given the problems around the storing of the radioactive waste inherent in its generation... I am asking for the impossible with the current bunch of dreary incompetents on all sides of 'the house' BUT we must ask and expect more of our government(s) to sort out the ever increasing problems which the country is experiencing .. otherwise move over rover and let a dictator take over !! ((:>)