Page 24 | Price Cap - Just announced

Goggin · 26/08/2022 13:30

@TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination I've checked and I last submitted readings 4 months ago; I now see they used them then. But certainly not more than 6 months ago which is what they said. I've just taken another gas reading and the reading is lower than their estimate for June which means I can't submit it via their app. It rejects it as it says it can't be correct.

I'm currently waiting for a reply to resolve it on WhatsApp where they said the wait time for a response could be up to 30 mins..... currently more than 4 hours.

I'm happy to pay for what I use, and I'm fortunate that I am ahead on credit, especially on gas. But I don't want my direct debit increased, and I do expect a decent level of service.

My energy company have also just told me I'm moving to Ovo.

AutumnalGlows · 26/08/2022 13:35

comfortablyfrumpy · 26/08/2022 13:25

I have just taken the plunge and bought heating oil, at double what it was a year ago. It is going to have to last.
By the tank gets low I suspect the price will have doubled again .

So what do you cook with? gas or electric?

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 13:38

Xenia · 26/08/2022 09:33

The price cap is quite complicated, even 3 or 4 years ago I was paying £5000 a year for gas and electricity (big house) and is now almost £700 a month (abot £8000 a year) and no doubt will be massive next year.

@Xenia I don't think there's anyone on MN who doesn't know you live in a Big House. Not that you're a high earner. There are fewer of us that know about the island, but still many I expect.

The Price Cap actually isn't at all complicated, it's just people need to have it explained, rather than the media & ofgem continually quoting the cost for the average household.

what a shame you sold the island you could have cut your costs living there.

Every now & then you could at least pretend to give a shit about others not in your fortunate position.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 13:40

CleopatrasBeautifulNose · 26/08/2022 09:35

My sons school has just put in solar system which is big enough to cover their daytime usage. So relieved, in the nick of time! Schools have a lot of roof!

@CleopatrasBeautifulNose

I'm not sure many of them would have the funds to put the solar panels in though. It's something I'd support the government funding, including storage batteries!

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 13:43

Theredjellybean · 26/08/2022 09:36

£150 pip payment (pip isnt means tested) , £400 off energy bills for everyone, £300 for pensioners in October, £600 for those on low income households . They do give a fuck and have pledged to pay more as soon as know what the increases will be. Martin Lewis and the msm are doing a Covid on us all over again.

forgive my ignorance but if you are then an OAP on low income you will get £1300 in help this winter ?
That does seem quite a lot of help, or is the £600 the max amount for say a large family ?
I' ve worked out on the new unit prices and standing charges and last yrs useage we will spend £438 per month, yet our supplier wants £680 per month in dd...we are already in credit quite substantially...
i have decide to cancel dd, do monthly metre readings and pay the bill outright each month.
fed up with my money sitting in their bank account.

@Theredjellybean

just check first your pKw rate won't go up if you cancel your DD.

also you can negotiate your DD amount.

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 26/08/2022 13:44

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 13:38

@Xenia I don't think there's anyone on MN who doesn't know you live in a Big House. Not that you're a high earner. There are fewer of us that know about the island, but still many I expect.

The Price Cap actually isn't at all complicated, it's just people need to have it explained, rather than the media & ofgem continually quoting the cost for the average household.

what a shame you sold the island you could have cut your costs living there.

Every now & then you could at least pretend to give a shit about others not in your fortunate position.

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Thatboymum · 26/08/2022 13:46

Octopus energy have given me a suggested figure from October onwards and it shows my combined G&E bill currently go from £152 per month to £496 , I feel sick just looking at it as there’s no way I can afford that. And that’s with new insulating a brand new boiler, everything switched off at the walls etc

RedRiverShore2 · 26/08/2022 13:47

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 13:38

@Xenia I don't think there's anyone on MN who doesn't know you live in a Big House. Not that you're a high earner. There are fewer of us that know about the island, but still many I expect.

The Price Cap actually isn't at all complicated, it's just people need to have it explained, rather than the media & ofgem continually quoting the cost for the average household.

what a shame you sold the island you could have cut your costs living there.

Every now & then you could at least pretend to give a shit about others not in your fortunate position.

Show quote history

Is this thread just for poor people to post on, it's about the price cap, it doesn't state poor people only. Maybe you should let posters know what criteria they can post under.

JOFFCV · 26/08/2022 13:50

Thatboymum · 26/08/2022 13:46

Octopus energy have given me a suggested figure from October onwards and it shows my combined G&E bill currently go from £152 per month to £496 , I feel sick just looking at it as there’s no way I can afford that. And that’s with new insulating a brand new boiler, everything switched off at the walls etc

Was the £152 fixed?

Magik01 · 26/08/2022 13:51

This worries me so much. We are a family of 4 (two young children) and there is someone always in the house. DH works in the day and I work in the evenings/night. I need to keep the kids warm. I don’t earn a lot with working part time as I look after the children. DH earns average I think? £29k.

also why do baby sleeping bags only really go up to 2.5 tog?! I’m worried he will freeze 😭

We won’t get help as we earn “too much”.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 13:51

CleopatrasBeautifulNose · 26/08/2022 09:40

The trouble with pay as you go meters is that even when you're not paying, the standing charge still adds up every day. So when you finally get the money to top up your meter it can all be swallowed by the daily standing charge that's been adding up every day. It's unfair that even if you don't use any energy at all you are still racking up a debt. If I couldn't afford to run my car I could sorn it and go without, that's not possible with energy which is crazy to me.

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@CleopatrasBeautifulNose

everyone has to pay the standing charge.

I wasn't arguing for pay as you go meters being the best answer for everyone, I was simply saying that 'No, I can't see see out Givt doing that, because it's not how we roll in the U.K. AND as far as they're concerned there's already a solution in place for non payers.

Greenstar22 · 26/08/2022 13:54

I'm not in the UK so forgive me for not fully understanding, but can you not just submit metre readings each month based on actual usage rather than a direct debit for a set amount each month? I can see the benefit in the summer of building some credit up but in the winter might you owe more than you actually paid and then be even further in arrears?

bewilderedhedgehog · 26/08/2022 13:55

Another perspective - which may be helpful for some people. This situation is so unacceptable that there will be extra help because if there isn't there will be significant civil unrest, as well as both physical and mental ill health. 80% increases are not manageable for most people, and there is now very wide recognition of that from politicians (of all parties), suppliers etc. I don't know if this will help others, and if there is no help in coming weeks I will come back to this board with a changed view!!

FarmerRefuted · 26/08/2022 13:56

@Magik01 we had a power cut when DC was a baby and no heating for 3-4 days (beast from the east). Long-sleeve vest, long-sleeve pyjamas/sleepsuit (ideally with foldover mitts). Sleeping bag and then feet to foot positioning and a blanket tucked in - basically aim for layers. Err on the side of slightly too cold than slightly too warm, you can always add an extra blanket or folded up sheet if needed. If DC is still small enough for a moses basket, put them in that overnight as its warmer.

StickywithSuncream · 26/08/2022 13:56

anniegun · 26/08/2022 12:33

65% of UK energy is domestically produced . So roughly two thirds of the increase creates excess profits for UK producers (although often foreign owned). The government could take that excess profit and reduce the overall increase to a manageable amount. However the fuel producers are big donors to the Tories and a source of second jobs and post-govt directorships, so they would rather ordinary people froze in poverty. During WW2 all companies that increased their profits (mainly manufacturers for war materials) had excess profits taxed at 90%

This needs repeating.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 13:59

remiss · 26/08/2022 09:44

Agreed. There are loads of ways to slice the unfairness though - especially if they're talking about "borrowing" £100bil from taxpayers and handing it to the energy company.

Not to single pp out but for example purposes, 3 person household 3300kw elec and 16000kw gas, right?

For comparison we're also a 3 person household, wfh, and our usage is 2800kw elec and 1900kw gas.

Just examples, you could compare any two households, but do we get the same help when one is making a pretty conscious effort to use the bare minimum while the other isn't?

If they do inject this money, surely they should be using it to buy actual shares in the gas and elec PRODUCERS (i.e part of full nationalisation) and not just handing us back OUR OWN TAX MONEY so we can pay it straight into the profit margins of the suppliers?

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@remiss

Can you check you ANNUAL gas usage? That seems highly unlikely if you use gas for hot water & heating. If you don't it's not apples for apples.

I live alone, WFH most of the day. Mine is around 10000 per year for gas, only hot water & heating. No cooking etc.

Magik01 · 26/08/2022 14:00

@FarmerRefuted thank you for that, he’s just turned one so Definatly won’t fit in a Moses basket 😬the only problem is he moves around his cot a lot so I don’t think a blanket would stay on long. I’ve seen they do some 3.5 tog sleeping bags online that I might have to try and get second hand on eBay.

Katsufatsu · 26/08/2022 14:01

Redqueenheart · 26/08/2022 07:45

I just saw a tweet from a pensioner just who said he was simply going to refuse to pay any of these outrageous utility bills.

His reasoning was that at his age he does not give a damn about being in debt and that it is more important for him not to die of hypothermia and to have enough money to buy food this winter.

I think when even pensioners start to revolt like this it is a sign that people are starting to wake up to this and simply refusing to be be exploited.

The result of this madness if it is not brought back under control by government will be small businesses folding, mass protest and payment strikes.

I'm in complete support of him not paying but what happens when it's cut off? Where will he be then?

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 14:02

Sporty2022 · 26/08/2022 09:46

Well yes but doesn’t really help anyone though. Just means they won’t disconnect you. The bills will still need to be paid if you want any kind of credit rating.

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@Sporty2022

Most elderly people won't be too bothered about their credit rating! And that's where the discussion started.

MibsXX · 26/08/2022 14:04

swifttwist · 26/08/2022 07:03

From £1971 to £3549. 80% rise. I have no words.

New figures:

Electricity
£0.52 per kWh
Daily standing charge: £0.46

Gas:
£0.15 per kWh
Daily standing charge: £0.28

Just checked my daily standing charge, smart meter pay as you go, daily standing charge is at 53.06p per day at the moment!

greenvelvetcouch · 26/08/2022 14:04

I would really suggest everyone uses the energy calculator that Martin Lewis and others have shared. We just did it with our kw/h usage from last year and it’s actually better than we had feared. It’s nice to have some solid numbers at last to actually start making some plans and it might end up being better than you think.

DysonSphere · 26/08/2022 14:13

Well I'm screwed. Disabled, have to stay indoors. Also have hypothyroidism and although I'm treated I still have trouble regulating my body temperature in winter months, so I'll just have to freeze. I wish to God I could get a wood burning stove but in rented accommodation. Absolutely stuffed.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 26/08/2022 14:13

FarmerRefuted · 26/08/2022 09:51

I'm a carer for my two disabled DC, we have medical equipment that has to stay on all night, heating is needed pretty much all day in winter, a light on all night, and so on. We're going to have to cut back on everything to be able to afford the gas and electricity.

To make it even better, my meter is broken and the power company won't fix it as their engineers apparently aren't doing home visits right now. This has been the case for two years so I'll probably get whacked with a mass of charges when they do eventually fix it.

@FarmerRefuted I'm sorry to hear all of that.

just a couple of things. Are you on your suppliers 'priority' list, they all seem to call them something different, but the scheme where you can't be cut off AND your power will remain on full IF there are any rolling blackouts or the like.

have you had someone look at everything and make sure you're claiming everything you possibly can, grants & benefits??

i know for many disabilities the actual air needs to be warm, but could you cut back on heating at all if you had electric throws? I don't have one (yet) but apparently they're very cheap to use and bonus is that apparently the thinner/cheaper ones are best as they fold more into your body.

I hope you manage ok through the winter, I'll be thinking of you

54isanopendoor · 26/08/2022 14:13

Im with Scottish Gas.
I pay (monthly in arrears)
7.35 per unit & a 30p a day standing charge for Gas
27.92 per unti & a 53p a day standing charge for Electricity
My estimated bill for the next 12 (in July) was:
£1100 for Gas & £2.5K for Electricity.
I don't know what I will do. I am really scared.
I (& my two young people) are all disabled so I am on the Priority services register. But... we were Cold last year so God knows what we'll do this year...

KatherineofGaunt · 26/08/2022 14:14

I just almost had a heart attack, working out new kw/h prices with what I thought was our usage over the winter months. Turns out that was an estimated yearly usage, thank goodness!

I just tried the MSE calculator, thank you someone for the link. Got to find an extra £130 every month until January, then who knows how much more. We got a smart meter fitted today, so I shall be keeping a close eye on our usage. Going to buy some thick jumpers for us all with next month's paycheck and some woolly socks. Less heating will help bring it down a little, I'm sure.

Price Cap - Just announced

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