To think this rebate announced today is a total con

[Viviennemary]

So this so called rebate has to be paid back. It isnt exactly a rebate then is it?

@Graphista I wonder why we're not doing that? Ideally we'd be looking to increase green energy for the longer term future, but in the meantime use our own fossil fuels rather than importing.

@Graphista

The problem with tidal barrages like the proposed one for the Severn or Swansea Bay is that they simply silt up behind the barrage needing massive amounts of dredging. Plus they are very expensive to build.

Tidal turbines have been tried but they tend to get damaged by floating stuff (trees, shipping containers or list nets) that hit them at high speeds due to the fast tides.

Wind turbines are a good idea but offshore wind turbines are very expensive to build and connect to the shore. Onshore wind is much cheaper but faces a lot of opposition in planning permission from locals objecting to its visual impact on the countryside.

Plus of course there ether problem of where do you get electricity when it's not windy or sunny (solar).

@Tealightsandd mainly as big oil donates to Tory party I suspect

@1dayatatime I find it VERY hard to believe that the issues you mention are WORSE and more expensive than the ones we're currently dealing with!

No option is going to be perfect but generally speaking wind and tidal power is cheaper and has less impact on environment than fossil fuels and it would mean we (uk) would be in charge of our own energy supplies

If four people share it's unlikely the bill will be in all 4 names. Usually bill is in just one name even in two adults household AFAIK.

From what’s been said, I’m not sure that will matter. If they live together, their bill will be reduced by £200 towards the end of the year. If they then all move out and live alone, their bills will all be raised by £40 a year, regardless of if they were named on the bills before. My understanding is that it’s £200 off all bills this year, and £40 on all bills for the next 5. Not like a regular loan against a specific person.

So when my carpet fitter said he got 20k furlough pay from the government, and still worked through, does this mean he will pay it back, or we all have to pay it back for him??
I'm pissed off

I’m on UC and I don’t want this “loan”.
I’m barely getting by as it is, why do they want to put me in debt for five years?
I doubt that prices are going to fall quickly, and my payments won’t increase.

It really feels like the government is saying “Well, we’re going to bury you, but we’ll start out with a small hole”.

I actually don’t know what I’m going to do.

@User8721643839

So when my carpet fitter said he got 20k furlough pay from the government, and still worked through, does this mean he will pay it back, or we all have to pay it back for him?? I'm pissed off

Furlough pay or SEISS ? If it was furlough, he's employed and should not have been working, if it was SEISS then working was permitted under the correct restrictions.

You could get furlough and still work long as it wasn’t for the company who paid you furlough. So yes some people got 80% then got another full time job.

@Akire

You could get furlough and still work long as it wasn’t for the company who paid you furlough. So yes some people got 80% then got another full time job.

Yes, as long it wasn't for the "main" employer.

Absolutely foolish scheme. It's an enforced blanket loan and it assumes that prices will fall significantly in a couple of years which they probably won't.
Sunak seems to think the public are all fools.

It would have been much better to increase the UC back up by £20/ week and help pensioners on pension credit.

@muddleheaded What about the people who aren't claiming UC ?

[quote userxx]@muddleheaded What about the people who aren't claiming UC ? [/quote]
Fair question- I just meant targeting help at the poorest/ most vulnerable would be preferable to throwing 'help' at everyone.

I think it's likely the energy industry will be nationalised going forwards although the Tories obviously won't be keen to do this so will keep applying short term bungs to the huge, gaping issue.

So if my energy cost is £1000 from April to March I will pay £800
Then next year it’s £1040?

How does that help? Esp if it’s going up again in October.

@ENoeuf

So if my energy cost is £1000 from April to March I will pay £800 Then next year it’s £1040?

How does that help? Esp if it’s going up again in October.

It will help if you will receive more income in 2023/2024 than you do in 2022/2023 due to pay rise, promotion, any increase in personal tax allowances etc. Whether this is a coincidence or not, the full state pension will increase by a minimum of £240 (2.5%) in April 2024 and it could increase by more due to inflation.

Whether this is a coincidence or not, the full state pension will increase by a minimum of £240 (2.5%) in April 2024 and it could increase by more due to inflation.

Presumably you meant April 2023.

Thank you @jcyclops nope no chance of an increase 😂 oh well

So I’m confused by this thread - do people in band A not have to pay it back?

@Butterismylife

So I’m confused by this thread - do people in band A not have to pay it back?

Are you confusing the council tax gift of £150 pounds, for those in property bands A to D with the £200 fuel loan?

Council tax bands A -D get £150 off their council tax 2022-23 (bitter, am band E even though neighbours have all extended and loads have more bedrooms/ rec rooms now).
Stupid utility thing - a loan of £200 repeatable over five years.

*repayable

@Butterismylife

So I’m confused by this thread - do people in band A not have to pay it back?

Every household will have to pay it back - whether they personally benefit from it or not! Bonkers!

No household who gets it (Bands A-D) will have to pay back the council tax rebate. I don't think so, anyway? I thought that was a grant, not a loan.

The £200 energy bill loan is a separate measure.

@Tealightsandd

No household who gets it (Bands A-D) will have to pay back the council tax rebate. I don't think so, anyway? I thought that was a grant, not a loan.

The £200 energy bill loan is a separate measure.

Yes that's right. J assumed the other poster was getting the two things muddled up?

I think so @mum2jakie

It's easy to get confused about it all. I'm not sure the initial announcement was clear enough. Hopefully they'll explain it better (and do any necessary tweaks) when it's finalised.

I think the initial announcement was extremely confusing. This is what I understand will happen. Every household will get £200 discount off their electricity bill which will need to be paid back. And households in council tax band A-D will get a £150 discount on their CT bill which won't have to be paid back. Is that correct?