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Original poster

Shit just got my electric bill!!

587 replies

2anddone · 09/02/2022 21:57

Just got my electric bill it's gone up £200 compared to this time last year....it's going to get worse isn't it!
I have night storage heating which works on a thermostat and is set to low (17 degrees) plus a log cabin which I need to heat for my work (childcare so have to have heat!). I don't leave lights on unnecessarily, don't have my hot water heater switched on, only run my washing machine and dishwasher when they are full. The tv is on every evening but not in the daytime, don't have a tumble dryer.
I honestly can't see where I can save money on my electric bill (was over £400 this month)

OP posts:
itrytomakemyway · 10/02/2022 10:26

I want every single Tory MP to sit down and read this thread.

I doubt very much that any of the cabinet have to give a thought about choosing which room in their house to heat, are piling on extra jumpers or are rooting about in the yellow label sticker cabinet. Honestly, we seem to have gone back to the 1930s.

I really, really hope that people remember this when they go to the ballot box. It seems unthinkable that our children will have a standard of living lower than the one we had as children. I grew up in a very poorly coal fire heated home. I had a childrhood of the family staying in the living at all times because it was the only room with heat. I had a childhood of jumper wearing, no takeaaways, days out not week long holidays. I worked hard for 30 years so that I and my family would have a better standard of life. It really isn't asking too much in UK 2022 to be able to have a warm home, a decent variety of food on the table and holidays and treats to look forward to.

Here we go Boris. read this thread. THIS is what you have done for millions of people in the UK. It makes me angry, fearful and sad in equal measure.

OfstedOffred · 10/02/2022 10:30

Is your log cabin properly insulated? If it isnt its probably costing you a bomb to heat - you might be better providing the childcare from your house

CornishGem1975 · 10/02/2022 10:30

I fixed for 2 years last June and am feeling very grateful that I did. I am with SSE who thankfully didn't go pop but became part of OVO and my fixed rate deal still stands, they confirmed they'll be no change to my prices until the contract ends. Hoping by June 2023 things have calmed the fuck down.

I logged on to submit readings and saw that they aren't taking new customers and advising people to stick with what they have right now.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cost of living
reesewithoutaspoon · 10/02/2022 10:31

Currently sitting here with fleece-lined leggings with trousers on top. 2 pairs of socks, slippers. a t-shirt a thermal long-sleeved vest and a jumper over the top. a neck tube, wrist warmers, and a hat. I m actually pretty warm and the heating has been off. But I feel like I have gone back to the '70s again. when we had no CH and just a gas fire.
Think I,m going to invest in an oodie and a heated throw, if not for this winter at least for the next one when prices will be even higher

ChickenStripper · 10/02/2022 10:32

@2anddone

Just got my electric bill it's gone up £200 compared to this time last year....it's going to get worse isn't it! I have night storage heating which works on a thermostat and is set to low (17 degrees) plus a log cabin which I need to heat for my work (childcare so have to have heat!). I don't leave lights on unnecessarily, don't have my hot water heater switched on, only run my washing machine and dishwasher when they are full. The tv is on every evening but not in the daytime, don't have a tumble dryer. I honestly can't see where I can save money on my electric bill (was over £400 this month)
Have you looked at the actual usage ? Has that changed?
Leftbutcameback · 10/02/2022 10:33

This thread is really useful to understand what’s happening. Does anyone know how much the standing charge cap is going up by? Or has that not been published yet and it’s just an overall figure?

Gonnagetgoing · 10/02/2022 10:34

@itrytomakemyway

I want every single Tory MP to sit down and read this thread.

I doubt very much that any of the cabinet have to give a thought about choosing which room in their house to heat, are piling on extra jumpers or are rooting about in the yellow label sticker cabinet. Honestly, we seem to have gone back to the 1930s.

I really, really hope that people remember this when they go to the ballot box. It seems unthinkable that our children will have a standard of living lower than the one we had as children. I grew up in a very poorly coal fire heated home. I had a childrhood of the family staying in the living at all times because it was the only room with heat. I had a childhood of jumper wearing, no takeaaways, days out not week long holidays. I worked hard for 30 years so that I and my family would have a better standard of life. It really isn't asking too much in UK 2022 to be able to have a warm home, a decent variety of food on the table and holidays and treats to look forward to.

Here we go Boris. read this thread. THIS is what you have done for millions of people in the UK. It makes me angry, fearful and sad in equal measure.

@itrytomakemyway - you sound similar to me but I'm 1970s and we had calor gas heaters you took from room to room and gas fires in 2 main rooms downstairs - we used one in the living room only. and those tiny gas fires you had fixed to upper/top end of wall in kitchen and bathroom and even then rarely used the kitchen one.

Before parents divorce when I was 5, DM had central heating, phone, tumble drier etc and when they divorced all that went and DB had chronic asthma where he almost died twice.

It was awful and back in those days extra info re cladding in loft etc was expensive and not known as much about as it was now. Luxuries as you say were luxuries and our holidays were luckily very cheap and in UK and down to friends or we stayed with friends who were generous. Things only got better once my DM had retrained as a primary school teacher. Cars weren't flash at all.

Hopefully the Tories will be voted out but BP/Shell etc really need to think about the effects the energy bills will have on the vast majority of families.

I've got single friends with no spare room who can barely afford to heat a 1 bedroom flat. I'm lucky I could buy a small cottage/house and have a box room and double spare room as well as my bedroom to rent out if worst came to worse.

It's worrying for me too as I have a friend who lives in a 1 bedroom flat and rents it - she currently works at an office after being furloughed most of covid 19 and eats out sometimes but her bills will be hit hard.

Tories just don't care about the normal people.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 10/02/2022 10:35

I got mine today and we are just about still in credit paying monthly but of course the prices go up in April and we still have Feb and March where temperatures aren't likely to be that high so will need it on.

Pinkflask · 10/02/2022 10:37

@Leftbutcameback - this is from Martin Lewis - it varies by region but not by loads.

Shit just got my electric bill!!
Leftbutcameback · 10/02/2022 10:39

Thanks very much @Pinkflask - interesting to see how much the electric standing charge has gone up compared to the gas one.

Leftbutcameback · 10/02/2022 10:41

So (if my maths is right and there is no guarantee at all) it’s an extra £75 on the electric standing charge for the year which isn’t someone you can reduce at all. I wonder if that’s because they know people will reduce usage and this is how the companies ensure they make more? I’ve always assumed the standing charge was like an admin fee.

Bookmarket · 10/02/2022 10:41

I've recently increased my hours of work to cover costs of DC1 at university. That extra pay is going to be swallowed up by bills and NI. And DCs expenses are going up at uni and we'll have her high energy bills to pay towards when she's in her 2nd year.

We're fortunately not in the position of choosing heating or food but 11 years of a Tory government makes life feel like one step forward and two steps back.

ButterMeTimbers · 10/02/2022 10:43

The standing charge increase is outrageous, imo. And yes, the cynic in me thinks it's to 'make up' for people reducing electricity usage. Or a trade off to prevent people making choices such as not moving to electric vehicles because of the increased electricity costs....

Gonnagetgoing · 10/02/2022 10:45

soooooo - if all the restaurants, bars, hairdressers, cafes and shops increase their prices this means less of us will use them.

Then we (families and single people) are cash strapped at home especially if WFH with electricity/gas bills.

So Boris' plan to get people back to the office and spending more in Pret a Manger(I preferred EAT!) etc will backfire as more of us will use them less and take from home.

Hawaii33 · 10/02/2022 10:46

I pay around £90 a month for electric and £100 gas. I'm also paying of £1000 of gas as I didn't submit any readings for a long time. My own fault! But the cost of living is scary at the moment.

mummymeister · 10/02/2022 10:53

Business tariffs have gone up even more in percentage terms than domestic ones. the domestic ones are capped but the business ones arent and the energy companies are loading these to make up for what they perceive they have "lost" by not being able to put the domestic ones up as high as they want to. this means all businesses are going to have to significantly increase prices with the smaller ones being hardest hit. Holiday lets in particular in the UK are really going to go up in price. I am in a business association and we are seeing 300 and 400% increases. its just insane and unsustainable with many businesses barely clinging on anyway particularly those in tourism and hospitality having exhausted all of their savings during the pandemic.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 10/02/2022 10:56

[quote Pinkflask]@Leftbutcameback - this is from Martin Lewis - it varies by region but not by loads.[/quote]
jfc! My gas rate is 3.86p/kWh and is already extortionate, that new cap is double what I'm paying, how the hell are people going to afford this?

Leftbutcameback · 10/02/2022 10:57

Didn't realise the business ones weren't capped - prices for goods and services are going to be awful

Leftbutcameback · 10/02/2022 10:59

I'm still strong to work out how it all works - the cap is for those on standard rates, but in the past companies have offered better deals to get customers, but a lot of those have gone bust. So basically will we all end up on the standard rate for the short to medium term with no deals worth switching to?

Pinkflask · 10/02/2022 10:59

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn - exactly, I think the 54% increase in the papers is SO misleading and makes people think they can just turn their heating down - I worked mine out based on last year’s usage and it’s from £96 to £194 a month with no change in usage. Sure I can stop tumble drying etc (and will) but it will lead to a measurable decrease in quality of life and still cost more. I just don’t think this has sunk in yet.

Pinkflask · 10/02/2022 11:01

@Leftbutcameback - exactly this. My fix ends at the end of this month and the new fixes available are all higher priced than even the new cap. So I’ve not choice but to go onto the variable rate for the first time in years. Which leaves me at the mercy of further price rises. You always used to be able to fix or try and get around price rises but it’s not an option now. Some people’s mindsets are still in this old model but they’ll get a rude awakening soon.

ButterMeTimbers · 10/02/2022 11:02

@Leftbutcameback

I'm still strong to work out how it all works - the cap is for those on standard rates, but in the past companies have offered better deals to get customers, but a lot of those have gone bust. So basically will we all end up on the standard rate for the short to medium term with no deals worth switching to?
This is it.

The fixed rate 'deals' are out there, it's just that they are now far more expensive than the capped rate. So as everyone's fixed deal comes to an end or their provider goes bust, the only option is the standard (capped) rate.

If this goes on long enough, everyone will end up on the standard rate...

PuzzledObserver · 10/02/2022 11:03

@TollgateDebs

We bought a meter (not a smart meter as that's a con)

How are smart meters a con? They give you access to smart tariffs, but you can stay on an ordinary tariff if you want to.

Thanks to the smart meter, I am able to charge my electric car at 5p/kWh (would be 7.5p for new signups, but I’m fixed until November) for 4 hours each night.

Also put the washing machine and dishwasher on in that window. Now also charging the solar battery at that rate as there’s not yet enough solar generation to cover the day’s usage.

mummymeister · 10/02/2022 11:04

leftbutcameback you arent the only one to not realise this. the biggest issue in the holiday let industry at the moment is hot tubs. everyone wants one, lots of businesses have bought them over the last 2 years and are now finding that they just cant afford to offer them having set their 2022 prices early in 2021 when no one had an inkling that this was going to happen. daily charges rising from 25p to £2.00 a day. and one of my friends has seen her rate go up by 400% and she cant get a switch. Friends with shops and restaurants are talking about turning the heating off in their shops or limiting opening hours. its just bonkers really especially with restaurants trying to offer increased ventilation - which is usually mechanically and powered by electricity. everything across the board is going to go up massively and anyone that thinks its just their household bills is in for a massive shock.

Glitterygreen · 10/02/2022 11:08

@Lemonata

Most of these are well known but:

Switch to eco mode on washer and dishwasher, only run when full. Use a slowcooker more often. Air dry clothes when can. Have quick showers instead of baths. Make sure all bulbs and appliances are energy efficient. Bleed radiators regularly. Keep heating on low all day instead of blasting it for an hour here or there. Turn brightness down on things. Keep everything dust free so that it works efficiently. Look into free insulation or boiler grants if needed, or use draught excluders, a boiler jacket, radiator heat reflectors, thermal curtains etc.

I always wonder about Eco mode on the washer.

The minimum temp for my Eco mode is 40 degrees, whereas I thought it was better energy-wise to wash at 30? So I usually choose the 30 degree cycle over the Eco cycle.

Is the Eco more to do with water usage?? I don't have an individual water meter so would rather save the heating cost and wash at 30.