This is getting ridiculous (energy prices - Strictly NO referrals!)

[SpellowHouse]

Actually a fixed price for all keeps prices higher not lower. Energy is usually only expensive for 3 hours a day... but you pay a higher price the other 21hours to subsidise that. So tin foil off, the potential here is for saving money not costing you more.

While I completely agree with what you are saying, somehow, I doubt that will be how it works out.

 

[Richie]

Actually a fixed price for all keeps prices higher not lower. Energy is usually only expensive for 3 hours a day... but you pay a higher price the other 21hours to subsidise that. So tin foil off, the potential here is for saving money not costing you more.

If your smart meter works properly anyways: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9zqn77ezno

Yeah, its proportionally small but still, its on the rise.

 

[fez]

I mean, until we get a global power grid it makes plenty of sense that a renewable based grid would have cheaper energy at certain times of the day....

 

[Richie]

That's because they can't be arsed to do the right thing, which is to get the country to reduce their consumption.

True. It's not as if reducing consumption will affect the energy providers as they just lump the potential income reduction onto the SC to protect their revenue

 

[Neil79]

Energy price cap: Ofgem considers varying cost based on time of day

I call that Rip off economy 7 and storage heaters

 

[200sols]

While I completely agree with what you are saying, somehow, I doubt that will be how it works out.

Tariffs are already available that do it..

Problem is people think they are being scammed by energy companies and when alternatives are presented they think its all a conspiracy.

 

[Jack_green]

I think a lot to do with this is that the government hasn't got an energy policy and they know darn well that they just aren't going to have enough electricity to go round in future, so they are pushing any scheme that makes what they have got go further.

It was always suspected that different charge rates was the real reason they wanted smart-meters, that together with not requiring so many feet on the ground to read them. Their excuse of "it will help customers save energy" was just absolutely ridiculous.

Yes, they don't know how to deal with it. Then again they are asking people to cut back yet at the same time pushing people into electric cars etc..

 

[SPG]

The regulator is a toothless & corrupt GOVERMENT department. It is not fit for purpose and needs to be disbanded

The entire house of Thatcherism is going to come tumbling down. With our pathetic net zero targets which are going to harm the UK more than any of our competitors it's pathetic.

 

[arknor]

standing charge needs banning....


Everyone knows they are to ensure energy companies don't go bankrupt, it's nothing to do with protecting customers from being overcharged.

 

[casper_uk]

Have been on a surge pricing/time of use tariff (what ever you want to call it) for years and it's been fantastic. Saved a boat load of cash, in fact most months they end up paying me money. If this brings about the end of the standing charge, I am all for it.

 

[VeNT]

standing charge needs banning....


Everyone knows they are to ensure energy companies don't go bankrupt, it's nothing to do with protecting customers

exactly.
it's just penalising those who do reduce their use!

 

[MatsyLR]

exactly.
it's just penalising those who do reduce their use!

My bills are 50% standing charges which is just ridiculous. Gas is usually like 80% standing charges!

 

[Richie]

Did the March readings yesterday so can work out the 6 month "Winter" usage (Oct 1st to March 31st)

Elec - 666kWh (£186.20)
Gas - 2,327kWh (£162.63 cost)

For funsies, my standing charges for that same period are:

Elec - £96.97 (or £34% of my total elec bill)
Gas - £40.23 (or 20% of my total gas bill)
30% of my bill is SC

 

[Uther]

My cheap EDF deal came to an end so went onto Octopus 1st April, was a nasty shock to see my IHD cost next day, reading about 40% higher
Something to get used to I suppose, I was very lucky to be on that cheap deal for 3 years, and with luck missed the worst of it for now. Signed up for Tracker now so will see how that works out...

 

[dholdi]

Our smart meters are not smart anymore.
When I queried it with our previous supplier they wanted around £250/meter to have them changed.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

@Richie your usage is very low, to the point its an outlier. Typical use is 5X 2.5X yours.

EDIT: math fail

 

[dlockers]

I pinged an email to Octopus yesterday (I chance it every now and then) asking for an IHD. They replied saying one is on the way

This is the fourth or fifth time asking, and 18 months since I moved in. Score. No idea what to do with it/where to put it tho

 

[Richie]

@Richie your usage is very low, to the point its an outlier. Typical use is 5X yours.

The energy companies sure try to keep getting more off me by increasing the SC

 

[HungryHippos]

Our smart meters are not smart anymore.
When I queried it with our previous supplier they wanted around £250/meter to have them changed.

If the meters are faulty they should fix/replace them for free.

 

[Richie]

The energy companies sure try to keep getting more off me by increasing the SC

In fact I just had a look at the new tariffs for when I come off my 1 Year fix in August and the SC for Gas and Elec will BOTH go up 10p/day to 63.31p (elec) and 31.67p (gas) so, for all intents and puproses, its going to cost me £30/month before I have used a single kWh... To put it in context - in circa 2020, my monthly bill was £33 TOTAL.

How they can justify a 20% increase on Elec and 48% increase in Gas SC in 1 year is just mind blowing