AIBU TO WONDER HOW IN GOD'S NAME PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE INRESE IN ENERGY PRICES

[Diamondsareforever123]

OK this obviously won't affect those who are lucky enough to have money - but - how are those on low incomes/benefit, poor pensioners, etc. ever going to possibly be able to afford the energy price increases? Also the increases will have a knock-on price increase effect on everything we buy - food, clothes ...... I am concerned.

This was entirely unavoidable.
If we:

• Had invested properly in green energy 15 years ago and had continued to do so.
• Had kept energy companies nationalised.
• Had prioritised the poorest in society over the richest, especially over the pandemic. But that is what you get for continually voting in right wing (and right of centre Labour) for decades. It is heartbreaking. The pain hasn't hit yet but this time next year it will be bad.

@saleorbouy

Why do people think the government has anything to do with the rise in utilities prices, it's down to global market forces, supply and demand and Russian control of the gas markets. Since many countries turned their back on coal fired power stations in favour of gas fired electrical power then the diversity in the market has gone. Renewable sources are not reliable and are dependent upon weather patterns so reliability in power generation comes from gas. Many countries have taken the same strategy to meet climate targets and this obviously affects the market prices for gas. It's something that will remain so it's better to look at your energy consumption, how to reduce waste and how to reduce other household costs. It's hard but unfortunately electricity demand and dependency is only going to increase as we're forced to meet climate targets and remove gas CH. The government can't be expected to bail out everyone, their pot is only filled from taxation and if money is spent on utility bills it will only come off budgets in health, education etc.

I’m sure doing away with a lot of storage facilities for gas hasn’t helped plus it appears most of Europe are finding ways to help with the increase in utility bills.

@saleorbouy

Why do people think the government has anything to do with the rise in utilities prices, it's down to global market forces, supply and demand and Russian control of the gas markets. Since many countries turned their back on coal fired power stations in favour of gas fired electrical power then the diversity in the market has gone. Renewable sources are not reliable and are dependent upon weather patterns so reliability in power generation comes from gas. Many countries have taken the same strategy to meet climate targets and this obviously affects the market prices for gas. It's something that will remain so it's better to look at your energy consumption, how to reduce waste and how to reduce other household costs. It's hard but unfortunately electricity demand and dependency is only going to increase as we're forced to meet climate targets and remove gas CH. The government can't be expected to bail out everyone, their pot is only filled from taxation and if money is spent on utility bills it will only come off budgets in health, education etc.

Security of supply is the issue. The UK has a fragile energy market in the main because we don’t have a national power operator and are at the whims of overseas providers.

Our energy market is fucked.

Honestly? Bury my head in the sand.
I have a friend who has taken to nursing cups of cheap tea all day in a community cafe. It is warm, and she can use their wifi to watch TV. She figures it is cheaper than being at home. I might do the same.

I believe MP's can claim up to £3500 for energy costs. Although I hope that's for their constituency offices not their homes.

The French government seems to be able to cap prices at 4%.

We don't have the necessary infrastructure to store gas in sufficient amounts - the Government have known this for some time.

The UK currently has around nine terawatt hours of stored gas reserves, compared to 168 in Italy and 151 in Germany, according to the latest figures from Gas Infrastructure Europe, meaning its capacity is equivalent to roughly 2 per cent of its annual demand, compared with 25 per cent to 37 per cent in Europe’s four largest storage holders.

Ever since the closure of its Rough storage facility, owned by Centrica, in 2017, the UK has followed a “just-in-time” approach to gas procurement. A combination of cold weather, a surge in global energy demand, as well as dwindling supply from Russia, has caused a spike in European gas prices in recent months.

www.newstatesman.com/chart-of-the-day/2021/09/how-the-uks-low-gas-storage-capacity-leaves-it-vulnerable#:~:text=The%20UK%20currently%20has%20around,per%20cent%20in%20Europe's%20four

@saleorbouy what they ☝️ all said. Particularly Freckles.

Sorry if this is a really stupid question, but regarding this £200 'loan' that everyone will automatically get... what if you only use about £200 of electricity a year, or possibly even less?

Will they find themselves having to repay this £200 (at £40 a year I believe) even if they've not used £200 of electricity this year??

@Rabblesthecat

Pah!

It is what it is…….

Just about to buy car number 3

Well aren't you just fucking lovely.

Our little family unit will be fine. We worry about our wider families, though.

Cam anyone tell me why the government won’t apply the windfall tax? Not just the energy companies, but all the other companies that have made a shit ton of cash off the back of the pandemic.

@Missatkins

Cam anyone tell me why the government won’t apply the windfall tax? Not just the energy companies, but all the other companies that have made a shit ton of cash off the back of the pandemic.

Cos they are twats.

In France the government are expecting the state-run energy company to absorb the majority of the impact.

France have obviously had some price rises already -

December 2021
The average cost of household fuel bills in France has risen by €64 per month from December 2020 to October 2021, a new official study shows...

www.rfi.fr/en/france/20211001-france-increases-gas-tariffs-but-promises-no-furtther-hikes-before-april-2022

I hope that the electorate consider why the current government aren't prepared to strike a similar deal here and vote accordingly.

27 Jan 2022
President Macron’s government is embroiled in a row with EDF, the French state energy giant, over a plan to curb electricity prices.

The scheme, which EDF says will cost it up to €7.7 billion (£6.4 billion), has been criticised both by Jean-Bernard Lévy, the chief executive, and unions, who called a strike in protest yesterday.

With more than a third of staff refusing to work, EDF reported a 2,500MW cut in electricity production, piling pressure on Macron, who has been accused of currying favour with voters ahead of the elections.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nuclear-war-breaks-out-at-edf-vg67dl8vq

@Rabblesthecat

Pah!

It is what it is…….

Just about to buy car number 3

This is like going on a thread where OP is really struggling TTC, and you saying "it is what it is..... just about to have child number 3"

What you have in money, you appear to lack in empathy.

December 2021
The average cost of household fuel bills in France has risen by €64 per month from December 2020 to October 2021, a new official study shows...

Sorry - wrong link -
www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Household-bills-soar-by-64-a-month-in-a-year-new-French-study-shows

@saleorbouy

Why do people think the government has anything to do with the rise in utilities prices, it's down to global market forces, supply and demand and Russian control of the gas markets. Since many countries turned their back on coal fired power stations in favour of gas fired electrical power then the diversity in the market has gone. Renewable sources are not reliable and are dependent upon weather patterns so reliability in power generation comes from gas. Many countries have taken the same strategy to meet climate targets and this obviously affects the market prices for gas. It's something that will remain so it's better to look at your energy consumption, how to reduce waste and how to reduce other household costs. It's hard but unfortunately electricity demand and dependency is only going to increase as we're forced to meet climate targets and remove gas CH. The government can't be expected to bail out everyone, their pot is only filled from taxation and if money is spent on utility bills it will only come off budgets in health, education etc.

Exactly. It’s quite easy to google why this happened .

I don’t know what the answer is as to how to help people though .

My daughters business which has just survived covid could crash because of this .. causing redundancies .

Successive governments of all persuasions have refused to commit to nuclear power and instead the U.K is at the mercy of raw commodity prices when generating electricity. Much of the South Easts electricity comes via cable from Frances nuclear sites.
Even at present rates of nuclear power construction they will barely keep up with the decommissioning rates of other sites.
When you add in the new reliance on electricity to heat our homes, outlawing Gas CH and the emerging push for electric vehicles it's going to be a bit of a scramble for a few years.

@FrecklesMalone

This was entirely unavoidable. If we: * Had invested properly in green energy 15 years ago and had continued to do so. * Had kept energy companies nationalised. * Had prioritised the poorest in society over the richest, especially over the pandemic. But that is what you get for continually voting in right wing (and right of centre Labour) for decades. It is heartbreaking. The pain hasn't hit yet but this time next year it will be bad.

Very much so. The UK's obsession with privatisation brings only profit to the companies and shareholders, with the government left without power to control it.

They won't, they will freeze and starve.

dontcallmelen

I haven't posted since Thursday lunch time.

Please do not over pay your gas or electric bill the money needs to be in your bank account earning even a piddling amount of interest rather than British gas or Eon’s earning them friggin millions every day.

We will use less energy, cut non essential spending. Not sure what that will do to the economy or what people will do who have nothing to cut.

And people will keep voting tory despite freezing and starving. Its an interesting country we live in now, it's almost a dictatorship made by the people. Can't vote for anyone else..

[quote Clavinova]December 2021
The average cost of household fuel bills in France has risen by €64 per month from December 2020 to October 2021, a new official study shows...

Sorry - wrong link -
www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Household-bills-soar-by-64-a-month-in-a-year-new-French-study-shows[/quote]
This is dated today at 19.26

The £200 to everyone is insane... trouble is it will cost more than that to means test.. I think there should be an opt out to receiving it IF it was guaranteed to go into a fund to support those struggling to pay for the rises. We will feel it but it won't put me into a position I can't feed my kids. I would gladly redirect mine. Assuming I get it, I will donate it to a local food bank or something, its wrong for me to get it.

Wages haven't gone up for about 15 years, but everything else has increased.

Before March 2020 I was on track to be able to buy a house. Now that's a pipedream, given how much house prices have increased during the pandemic.

I need to find a new place to rent and even rent has gone up by about 40% in my area.

There was always going to be a tipping point where everything increases so much that outgoings for the masses are more than their wages.

Something needs to change.