Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)

[_Jimlad_]

I didn't read the preceding points, but this is my in-laws to a tee. They're a 2 person household, we're a 3 person household. Our bill is a third/quarter of theirs. Exact same provider. Their heating is on practically 24/7 in the winter, even on warmer days. Kettle gets filled to the brim when making a cup of tea instead of just using enough water. Hour long showers (ok, not an hour, but loooong showers). Heated towel rails gets left on 24/7/365, all electronics on. Just absolutely nonstop wasting of electricity with the surprised Pikachu faces when the bill is due.

Can't tell them any different, this is the way they've always lived. They're not interested in changing a thing.

lots of people like this because they have not needed to care before, many still wont

 

[LabR@t]

81p a kWh is unbelievable

 

[robgmun]

Why is it always to the poorest? Lots of people who are on modest wages are also struggling.

Totally this, and I'm getting more than a little fed up with it. The 'poorest' are getting hand out after hand out time and time again, and anyone on an average wage are getting hammered with little or no help.

Remember, originally the £400 was going to be a £200 LOAN that we'd have to pay back! Until they backtracked

 

[Ahleckz]

Totally this, and I'm getting more than a little fed up with it. The 'poorest' are getting hand out after hand out time and time again, and anyone on an average wage are getting hammered with little or no help.

Remember, originally the £400 was going to be a £200 LOAN that we'd have to pay back! Until they backtracked

I’m on an average wage and I’m fine with it. I’m cutting back on luxuries and being careful. Those with less than me can’t do that. They already have done. Show some compassion.

 

[LabR@t]

I’m on an average wage and I’m fine with it. I’m cutting back on luxuries and being careful. Those with less than me can’t do that. They already have done. Show some compassion.

It's fine if they do but a lot won't change one iota

 

[dowie]

don't need a fancy octopus winter usage predicter( or MartinLewis) ... 28p/kWh ... 53p ... 70p .. 81p unfortunately speaks for itself.

What are those predictions based on?

Capping energy prices reduces push to solar etc too.

That's a good point, should also encourage people to look at insulating their homes, not waste electricity etc..

Everyone likes to pay lip service towards going green etc.. well if prices go up then there is the opportunity to put that into practice I guess. It's not like the UK is the only country where energy prices are going up, also it's a relatively minor inconvenience compared to say what grandparents or great-grandparents went through in WW2.

We'd quite possibly already have had WW3 by now if not for nuclear weapons protecting us, while people are being genocided in Ukraine we're relatively safe over here and the most we've got to moan about is having to tighten purse strings for a bit and/or reduce consumption.

 

[413x]

I get that, but also you may get households refusing to change their lifestyle, use more heating instead of wearing jumpers etc. Long electric showers, air conditioning that sort of thing.

My preference for a subsidised cap would be the biggest discount is on the first XX amount of units and then it gradually gets more expensive as it incentivises lower usage. I have seen some usage numbers which are insane. People on priority register would be excluded from the expensive units, and anyone with expensive to run medical equipment would be added to the register.

Looks like we not getting a cap though as both tory candidates have already ruled it out.

Agree with this.

You're rich.. You can have it. But there's a penalty.

Same as car emmisions banding. Same as income tax.

 

[HungryHippos]

Agree with this.

You're rich.. You can have it. But there's a penalty.

Same as car emmisions banding. Same as income tax.

I mentioned this idea here ages ago, I think it's the fairest, but I also think it's the hardest to implement/police.

So I don't think they'll do it for that reason!

 

[413x]

I mentioned this idea here ages ago, I think it's the fairest, but I also think it's the hardest to implement/police.

So I don't think they'll do it for that reason!

Yeah it would be hard not to let people fall through the cracks. Both benefiting and suffering.

But we need to incentivise reduction

 

[GIBURROWS]

Is the standing charge the same per property?

 

[neocon]

Is the standing charge the same per property?

As in, the standing charge for someone in a multi million pound house the same as someone in a £250k flat?

 

[Haggisman]

My grocery costs alone for a family of 4 is ~ £200/week

Ours is closer to 1/3 of that and we don't exactly scrimp or eat poorly - although prices are slowly creeping up, I'd still have to try pretty hard to spend that much without ending up throwing away a huge amount of out of date food at the end of the week!

 

[Dyson]

Totally this, and I'm getting more than a little fed up with it. The 'poorest' are getting hand out after hand out time and time again, and anyone on an average wage are getting hammered with little or no help.

Remember, originally the £400 was going to be a £200 LOAN that we'd have to pay back! Until they backtracked

It does get frustrating the middle earners being expected to just keep sucking it up. Normally if you earn more, you have higher outgoings so not necessarily a larger pot of cash to fall back on than someone on less income.

What is considered middle income anyway? £50-90k household income?

 

[the shadow]

It does get frustrating the middle earners being expected to just keep sucking it up. Normally if you earn more, you have higher outgoings so not necessarily a larger pot of cash to fall back on than someone on less income.

What is considered middle income anyway? £50-90k household income?

Gucci status

 

[theone8181]

Ours is closer to 1/3 of that and we don't exactly scrimp or eat poorly - although prices are slowly creeping up, I'd still have to try pretty hard to spend that much without ending up throwing away a huge amount of out of date food at the end of the week!

We spend maybe 125 a week on 4 (although that's a 6 and 8 year old), but that's tescos not even aldi/lidl. Sounds like a lot cut be easily cut down there.

 

[200sols]

It does get frustrating the middle earners being expected to just keep sucking it up. Normally if you earn more, you have higher outgoings so not necessarily a larger pot of cash to fall back on than someone on less income.

What is considered middle income anyway? £50-90k household income?

You can use a calculator here https://ifs.org.uk/tools_and_resources/where_do_you_fit_in

 

[GIBURROWS]

As in, the standing charge for someone in a multi million pound house the same as someone in a £250k flat?

I meant a corner shop to a large office block but probably the same comparison really.

 

[neocon]

If things are really do end up as bad as people are predicting the consequences for the rest of the economy can't be good. If people are spending vast proportions of income on energy they'll be nothing left to spend on the normal goods and services.

 

[ci_newman]

Ours is closer to 1/3 of that and we don't exactly scrimp or eat poorly - although prices are slowly creeping up, I'd still have to try pretty hard to spend that much without ending up throwing away a huge amount of out of date food at the end of the week!

That's not just food though, that's all groceries (home cleaning products, soaps, toiletries etc). It's 3 meals per day too for 4 people, breakfast, lunches and dinners and avoiding any processed foods (so buying raw ingredients to make meals with).

 

[ci_newman]

Is the standing charge the same per property?

As in, the standing charge for someone in a multi million pound house the same as someone in a £250k flat?

Standing charge is set per region as I understand it, costs per day is the same for all households in a given region.