Soldato
I think the standing charge should be eradicated, the infrastructure is basically all built and even if you cut down on the usage you're still paying, it's basically another tax and a permanent payday for the companies.
Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)
- Thread starter DXP55
- Start date
Yep, I am frustrated by how short of time I missed it, my Octopus fixed ended about 2 weeks after the good fixes dried up (2nd week of Oct 2021). I was auto renewing my fixed, so if it was a couple of weeks earlier I would have been on a good fixed, although only for one year as Octopus seem to only do short fixed deals.
I do think the justifications for it are stretched and the SC fees really high, I agree with you that in the very least it needs to be significantly shrunk. even if they have to move it over to unit cost. Probably some fancy accountancy going on when the numbers got passed to Ofgem to get the increases approved for maintenance costs on the SVR SC.
Some have tried to disconnect gas to get rid of the SC, but then engineers turn up disconnecting from the street saying the meter d/c isnt enough and expecting the customer to pay 4 figures for the second bit of work (when the customer only wanted a meter d/c), so its akin to a protection racket to force people to keep connected and paying for the SC.
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Soldato
Very short sighted. Our entire network is 30years + outdated and needs a massive overhaul especially if the Gov wants everyone to use EV's and ditch gas boilers as we dont have the infrastructure to accomodate the electricity that will be needed.
Also bear in mind that standing charges are artificially jacked up at the moment as everyones paying for Bulb's failure through the standing charge.
Its like this £400 every household is getting, the money should only be going to those who need it not everyone.
I'm single with a mortgage, come winter time I'm probably still going to be "fine" but my base wage is basically gone on bills/food with nothing left over. I have a good chunk of savings but I don't want to have to dip into it. I already live a frugal lifestyle as it is.
What about little old Doris down the road on a fixed pension physically unable to make more money, barely hanging on after the April increase?
Too much money goes to the bum's who refuse to get a job in my opinion or pretend they cannot work for whatever reason.
I know plenty of people from secondary school (15+ years ago) who have never worked a day in their life and just popped some kids out and lived on the benefits. House paid for, bills paid for, food paid for, go on holiday every year, its disgusting.
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Soldato
- Joined
- 25 Nov 2005
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Sakhalin Energy wants LNG buyers to pay via Moscow-based bank, change currency
Russia's Sakhalin Energy Investment Co has asked its liquefied natural gas (LNG) customers to pay for supplies via a Moscow unit of a European bank, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
Turning the screws on supplies again
Soldato
That's the issue, that £400 should not be going to every single person, they should have used that money to instead subsidise the energy market so that the companies can offer a social tarrif for those on low incomes, that would likely be claiming universal credit, JSA, pension credit or any of the other means tested benefits.
That £66 a month being handed out in October will just about make my bill the same cost as it is now, without any heating. I'm early 40s and in good shape so it won't be too much an issue for me to deal with. As long as it isn't -10 degrees outside and snowing a few pairs of socks and wooley jumper will do.
I've had people calling (EDF) saying can they get the £400 transferred to there bank instead to spend on other things, get the same for the £150 warm home discount, saying they are entitled to use it how they like and will go to ofgem if we don't put it in there bank. Jog on mate.
Had a few of those "Dont Pay" people, the campaign thing that is going around saying they will stop all payments on the 1st October unless we stop conning them. So far its only been people who are not working and seem to have no intention on working from short discussions. Also had some people who are bypassing their meter and don't even try to hide it saying there is nothing we can do to stop them and we should have ashamed of ourselves for charging people so much.
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Soldato
45p a day!
Soldato
Our lots getting the dont pay nutters and the likes too. Our call centre get the WHD discount one all the time and the answers a straight no, and it will be the same for the gov support payments too.
Adding in some sort of means testing just wastes money on bureaucracy and administration.
Main thing is that any govt funding can’t be turned into cash or be subject to fraud.
If someone told me in October.. You can fix either your mortgage or you electricity.. I'd have said mortgage.
But so far my energy fix is saving more than my mortgage fix. (might change in a couple of months).
So many people are going to be exposed to both.
Seems to always be people who are in constant debt from what I've seen.
We don't need the 400 but like said means testing is
A) a political nightmare.. Person A slips though the net but really needs it.
B) is a it costs so much for means test.
Don pay protest:
Only people who should be entertaining it are those who don't care about credit files etc. Ie don't work, will never need a loan/mortgage etc etc
If anyone can pay who chooses no to, but has a mortgage? They are going to get a wake up call!
A) a political nightmare.. Person A slips though the net but really needs it.
B) is a it costs so much for means test.
Don pay protest:
Only people who should be entertaining it are those who don't care about credit files etc. Ie don't work, will never need a loan/mortgage etc etc
If anyone can pay who chooses no to, but has a mortgage? They are going to get a wake up call!
Didn't people get like £300 or so cost of living money directly to the bank for people on benefits recently?
Should have been some form of voucher/ration card or something that is linked to only them and cannot be transferred.
Soldato
I wonder how many people are like that in reality though as I only know of one guy who hasn't worked for about 20+ years, I don't know how it works for him as I just had 7 months on the dole and it was hell being hounded all the time.
Why do some people claim things like means testing cost tons of money. The government already does means testing for everyone who works and for many who doesnt work, they dont redo it if its used for something else, they just use existing data.
As an example means testing was used on the £650 cost of living payment using existing HMRC and DWP data, which was in the same budget announcement. Do you think they apply new testing every time with it costing 100s of millions or something?
I do understand why the £400 wasnt means tested though, political issues would have been there if it was means tested, as inevitably there would have been a line drawn where someone who just about qualified got the full £400 and then someone just on the other side of the line got nothing, so I personally think it not been means tested is fine, the only issue I have is they left a loophole for people who own multiple properties.
I take it you prefer everyone forgets about it then?
Yep, whenever I hear "I know loads, I know 20 people, I know dozens etc." I know its FUD immediately, at least make it sound credible if people want to pretend they know some people.
The amount of misinformation is astounding, everyone is so judgemental even to the point they make assumptions about others.
You dodged a nuke more like.