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Energy Bills

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  • PrincessFiona
    PrincessFiona Posts: 5,455
    ShootersHillGuru said:
    What is the purpose of government if it is unable or unwilling to do what is required in order for its people to live. Food prices rising. Petrol rising, Energy off the scale. Inflation rising. Wages unable to keep up. I know the magic money tree has been well shaken recently but unless something significant is done over the next few months I think people will be very unhappy. I would hope a package will be put in place by the autumn.  It almost looks like there is no plan and like Mr. Micawber they are relying on something turning up. 
    These things have happened before and not surprising after covid and the situation with Ukraine/Russia. But I think it is harder now because of a number of reasons, not least because of the last couple of years. Interest rate rises are going come as a shock to many (who don't remember the massive rises in the late 70s/early 80s
  • twiggyaddick
    twiggyaddick Posts: 1,565
    ShootersHillGuru said:
    This is going to be a massive crisis come next winter. The prices go up again in October and many people are just not going to be able to afford to heat their homes. It seems to me the government are sticking their heads in the sand on this issue unless they genuinely don’t care. Unless there is quite a significant intervention I can see big problems ahead.
    wonder if the local elections have a part to play, if they do badly we might see a lot more action, whereas if they hold most seats they will probably do the bare minimum.
  • Huskaris
    Huskaris Posts: 9,853
    edited April 2022
    Something will have to happen. Luckily it can uncharitably be twisted to be a selfish act from the government. 

    Basically, if they don't do something about the energy prices come winter, the recession into 2023 will last into 2025 at least. 

    It's what I'm preparing for in the company I lead the finance/operations functions for. 

    In fact, regardless of what the government does, I'm fairly sure a recession is coming in the next 12 months. The cost of shipping a container round the world has gone up around 8 fold between the start of COVID and end of Oct 21. Luckily that is starting to drop, but the inflationary pressures on business, and therefore the consumer, are huge. Especially for a nation that has a trade defecit like the UK. 
  • PrincessFiona
    PrincessFiona Posts: 5,455
    edited April 2022
    A lot of people are going to need the advice being given on the Organise Personal Finances thread. First and foremost, what is a real priority and what is actually non-essential (however much you may like it)

    In a way, I feel the energy suppliers should not be able to make a profit/have to pay back some profit, but some of them may need that to invest to be able to run their future business - so it isn't that straightforward
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,573
    was switched to British Gas from Peoples Energy. Am currently on a tariff of Unit Rate 29.484 and Standing Charge of 41.660. This will obviously rise in October when the new price cap comes in. They have offered me to fix now until May 2023 at a Unit Rate of 34.312 and a Standing Charge of 48.509. If I did I will be paying more from now to October than I have to but then paying less from October to May than I might need to. Not sure what to do. Over to you for your thoughts?
  • addix
    addix Posts: 1,185
    LargeAddick said:
    was switched to British Gas from Peoples Energy. Am currently on a tariff of Unit Rate 29.484 and Standing Charge of 41.660. This will obviously rise in October when the new price cap comes in. They have offered me to fix now until May 2023 at a Unit Rate of 34.312 and a Standing Charge of 48.509. If I did I will be paying more from now to October than I have to but then paying less from October to May than I might need to. Not sure what to do. Over to you for your thoughts?

    Not sure if you've seen this video from Martin Lewis that he posted this week, but the gist of it is if you can get a fixed tariff with your current provider for up to 30% more than you currently pay, you should consider fixing, especially if you like to have some certainty about bills.  He explains it better than I can.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvVld-qY3Gc

  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,013
    LargeAddick said:
    was switched to British Gas from Peoples Energy. Am currently on a tariff of Unit Rate 29.484 and Standing Charge of 41.660. This will obviously rise in October when the new price cap comes in. They have offered me to fix now until May 2023 at a Unit Rate of 34.312 and a Standing Charge of 48.509. If I did I will be paying more from now to October than I have to but then paying less from October to May than I might need to. Not sure what to do. Over to you for your thoughts?
    Addix is correct. Martin Lewis says you're in a grey area, so either could be best.
    If you want the certainty then take the fix.
    My best guess is there's probably not going to be much difference.
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,573
    I was of the opinion that BG wouldn’t be offering this out of the goodness of their own heart, they are in the business of making money. I’ll watch the video later and decide.
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,765
    PrincessFiona said:
    A lot of people are going to need the advice being given on the Organise Personal Finances thread. First and foremost, what is a real priority and what is actually non-essential (however much you may like it)

    In a way, I feel the energy suppliers should not be able to make a profit/have to pay back some profit, but some of them may need that to invest to be able to run their future business - so it isn't that straightforward
    The profits they are making are above what they planned to invest, so a windfall tax wouldn't affect investment. A windfall tax to bring down energy bills would be the best way to help people.
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 28,645
    It seems that the £150 council tax rebate due to be paid in April is now from April.
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  • JamesSeed
    JamesSeed Posts: 17,380
    edited April 2022
    shirty5 said:
    thickandthin63 said:
    jacob_CAFC said:
    Well done to everyone who voted for this shower of shit in 2019, hope you are happy with your choice!
    So Corbyn and Diane Abbott would have handled,Brexit,The Pandemic,Energy crisis,and the Russian war better.She couldnt even work out how much we paid police officer without cocking it up.
    All political parties in this country are as shit as each other. All bullshit what they promise to do and then shaft us all down the road in the long run. 
    That’s the narrative some are desperate for you to believe (what did the Romans ever do for us!?)  but actually I think the three Blair wins show that manifesto promises can be delivered, to some extent at least . Those governments did reduce poverty, greatly reduced NHS waiting lists and raised living standards generally. 
    https://www.shrewsburylabour.org.uk/labours-top-50-achievements/ (other lists are available). Those were, I think, all policies promised in manifestos. 
    I’m not sure if these last 12 years have seen any improvements at all. In fact it feels like thing have got quite a lot worse, for the majority of us at least. And now all they can offer is a ‘war on woke’. How will that improve living standards exactly?
    Compare our cost of living crisis with those of nearby countries like France. They’ve controlled their energy prices as their energy industry is largely state owned. This government is too consumed by political dogma to come up with imaginative solutions, unfortunately. ‘Wear another jumper and eat porridge’ is grossly patronising and just doesn’t cut it. 
    Their old mantra (‘Vote Tory because at least we’re not not Jeremy Corbyn’) won’t help them at the next election. 
  • letthegoodtimesroll
    letthegoodtimesroll Posts: 10,622
    I heard the other day that our office electric bill has jumped from £2k a month to £10k and that’s with ‘hybrid working’ with just a fraction of the staff numbers actually going to the office. The government might not give a shit about family bills but I suspect that when businesses and The City start giving them grief they will do something about it. 
  • ShootersHillGuru
    ShootersHillGuru Posts: 50,625
    letthegoodtimesroll said:
    I heard the other day that our office electric bill has jumped from £2k a month to £10k and that’s with ‘hybrid working’ with just a fraction of the staff numbers actually going to the office. The government might not give a shit about family bills but I suspect that when businesses and The City start giving them grief they will do something about it. 
    Helping businesses doesn’t mean they’ll also help domestic users. Having said that I expect something in the way of help to be announced in the autumn. The government are hanging on in the desperate hope something will turn up to minimise the help they’ll be forced to give later in the year. I think people will go absolutely mental if nothing is done.
  • valleynick66
    valleynick66 Posts: 4,891
    ME14addick said:
    PrincessFiona said:
    A lot of people are going to need the advice being given on the Organise Personal Finances thread. First and foremost, what is a real priority and what is actually non-essential (however much you may like it)

    In a way, I feel the energy suppliers should not be able to make a profit/have to pay back some profit, but some of them may need that to invest to be able to run their future business - so it isn't that straightforward
    The profits they are making are above what they planned to invest, so a windfall tax wouldn't affect investment. A windfall tax to bring down energy bills would be the best way to help people.
    Has labour (or indeed any party) quantified what a windfall tax would equate to for us as individual households? What reduction in our bills would result?

    Putting a number on it might make people align to this suggestion. 
  • eastterrace6168
    eastterrace6168 Posts: 22,549
    edited May 2022
    LargeAddick said:
    I was of the opinion that BG wouldn’t be offering this out of the goodness of their own heart, they are in the business of making money. I’ll watch the video later and decide.
    Whatever you decide @LargeAddick , if you take the fix, which will probably be a safe choice if it is within the 30% figure of your current quote, make sure it is a penalty free early exit deal, then you are covered should a better deal come onto the market..
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,765
    valleynick66 said:
    ME14addick said:
    PrincessFiona said:
    A lot of people are going to need the advice being given on the Organise Personal Finances thread. First and foremost, what is a real priority and what is actually non-essential (however much you may like it)

    In a way, I feel the energy suppliers should not be able to make a profit/have to pay back some profit, but some of them may need that to invest to be able to run their future business - so it isn't that straightforward
    The profits they are making are above what they planned to invest, so a windfall tax wouldn't affect investment. A windfall tax to bring down energy bills would be the best way to help people.
    Has labour (or indeed any party) quantified what a windfall tax would equate to for us as individual households? What reduction in our bills would result?

    Putting a number on it might make people align to this suggestion. 
    I believe up to £600 per household.

    https://labour.org.uk/issue/britain-cannot-afford-the-tories/?utm_campaign=le22&utm_source=splash&utm_medium=button
  • valleynick66
    valleynick66 Posts: 4,891
    edited May 2022
    ME14addick said:
    valleynick66 said:
    ME14addick said:
    PrincessFiona said:
    A lot of people are going to need the advice being given on the Organise Personal Finances thread. First and foremost, what is a real priority and what is actually non-essential (however much you may like it)

    In a way, I feel the energy suppliers should not be able to make a profit/have to pay back some profit, but some of them may need that to invest to be able to run their future business - so it isn't that straightforward
    The profits they are making are above what they planned to invest, so a windfall tax wouldn't affect investment. A windfall tax to bring down energy bills would be the best way to help people.
    Has labour (or indeed any party) quantified what a windfall tax would equate to for us as individual households? What reduction in our bills would result?

    Putting a number on it might make people align to this suggestion. 
    I believe up to £600 per household.

    https://labour.org.uk/issue/britain-cannot-afford-the-tories/?utm_campaign=le22&utm_source=splash&utm_medium=button
    Thank you. Hadn’t seen that before. But I am sceptical of the use of wording  ‘up to’ as it implies not a flat rebate and conditional in some way. Also in addition to the existing £200 or as part of? Just for 2022 or beyond etc?

    My point is that absolute transparency is lacking on all sides. 
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,355
    as well as energy costs, be careful where you buy your groceries ..

    £279 bill warning for Sainsbury's and Tesco shoppers (msn.com)
  • ShootersHillGuru
    ShootersHillGuru Posts: 50,625
    Lincsaddick said:
    as well as energy costs, be careful where you buy your groceries ..

    £279 bill warning for Sainsbury's and Tesco shoppers (msn.com)
    Quite frankly if you use Tesco Express or Sainsburys Local as anything more than a glorified corner shop you must be mad. Prices are much more expensive.
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,765
    Shell's profits for the first quarter of 2022 £7.2billion.
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  • Siv_in_Norfolk
    Siv_in_Norfolk Posts: 4,057
    Nationalise Utilities
  • clb74
    clb74 Posts: 10,824
    F@cking cheeky cnuts.
    Ed f@cking f.
    Took over my green network energy account end of jan 21.
    Sent email june 21 for the closing account saying we dont have to do nothing at the moment including paying the £95 they think the bill is.
    Just got in from work and the wife said your not going to be happy theres a letter from edf.
    If we dont pay in the next 14 days will send debt recovery firm round.
    Cheeky f@ckers.
    Will enjoy ringing them up saying theyve got the bill wrong and it's about, £25 I owe them.
  • ShootersHillGuru
    ShootersHillGuru Posts: 50,625
    So now we see E.On, one of the largest energy suppliers calling on the government to do more. It says that up to 40% of its customers will be in fuel poverty by October. It’s really quite remarkable that people aren’t making more fuss about this lack of any help. 

    E.On UK boss warns 40% of customers face fuel poverty https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61541294
  • ShootersHillGuru
    ShootersHillGuru Posts: 50,625
    Price cap on energy to increase in October from £1,971 to £2,800. Next winter is going to be very interesting.
  • Big_Bad_World
    Big_Bad_World Posts: 5,859
    I'm sure these energy companies that are reporting record breaking revenues and profits could also do something to help those struggling.

    They won't, though.
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,765
    Big_Bad_World said:
    I'm sure these energy companies that are reporting record breaking revenues and profits could also do something to help those struggling.

    They won't, though.
    Needs a windfall tax.
  • kentaddick
    kentaddick Posts: 18,729
    Big_Bad_World said:
    I'm sure these energy companies that are reporting record breaking revenues and profits could also do something to help those struggling.

    They won't, though.
    they'll be allowed to "invest" these profits, aka spaffing them up the wall on R&D projects (that also happen to be a tax write off in themselves).
  • kentaddick
    kentaddick Posts: 18,729
    ShootersHillGuru said:
    Price cap on energy to increase in October from £1,971 to £2,800. Next winter is going to be very interesting.
    We'll also likely be in recession by then. There are some people who are going to die because of this. 
  • cafc999
    cafc999 Posts: 4,967
    Could be another winter of discontent 
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 28,645
    edited May 2022
    .

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