Surely they can’t expect us to pay 240 per month for power!

[Ellie198712]

Just read Martin Lewis’s latest email and it’s predicting average bills of £2900 per year!! Surely the government will need to step in and subsidise this cost. Our current bill is about 100 per month, and this just seems untenable for the vast majority

@lovescats3

In France the government have made the oil companies pay the increase not the people

In France they have nuclear power stations, so they’re decoupled to a large extent from the oil / gas price when it comes to electricity prices .

But that was there strategy. Meanwhile, under Blair and Labour we became a net importer of gas and started the de-commissioning of pretty much all coal and nuclear power increasing our reliance on gas. To be fair, just as he was leaving power he admitted that it was ‘difficult’ to have secure energy supply without nuclear power, but by then the nimbys and green lobby meant it was politically virtually impossible to undo that damage.

@Brian62

Subside the costs and eat into their billion pound profits !!!!! Sir , I think not . The day that happens NASA will find rocking horse sh#t on the dark side of the moon.

This made me laugh. Very true.

@Batinhernightdress not sure why we quoted me because that’s exactly what I said. It was different for us as kids but I remember the old and infirm dying. I wouldn’t want anyone to go back to those days. I really wouldn’t. I am terrified for those at the poorest end of society especially those who are vulnerable.

As with many things that people can't afford, they will try and source it illegally. There are already a huge number of homes and businesses using illegally rigged systems to bypass meters. They keep enough going through the meters not to raise suspicion they just look like very low consumers. Of course it does not come without risks. Those houses you see blown up in terraces are generally because of tampered gas supplies. Ex worked for utility company and many of the houses he went to install prepayment meters in were households which had bypassed the meter. It's much more common than you would think and seen as a victimless/Robin Hood crime

@Legalconundrums

Is it wise to turn the fridge freezer off overnight ?or does it use more energy getting back to temperature? I've had power cuts for hours and the fridge/freezer was unaffected as long as the door wasn't opened...

It won't use more energy, but freeze/unfreeze cycles will shorten the lifetime significantly, so probably not worth it.

[quote Clarabe1]@Batinhernightdress not sure why we quoted me because that’s exactly what I said. It was different for us as kids but I remember the old and infirm dying. I wouldn’t want anyone to go back to those days. I really wouldn’t. I am terrified for those at the poorest end of society especially those who are vulnerable.[/quote]
Sorry was agreeing with you but cross at the previous posters

@forinborin thanks, just a thought...I have literally nothing else to turn off now

@Autumndays123

Surely people being quoted 400-500 a month fixed rate will be better off on the variable regardless of whether it goes up?

I don't know anymore. Two weeks ago, the same fixed offer was £360, now it is £495. Should have fixed then. If Putin shuts down gas supply to Europe, gas prices could easily double from the current levels.

I wish they'd remove the green levy. Renewable energy is a scam everyone has fallen for - and now the tide has gone out, it's certainly not "free"

@Overthebow

The government is already subsidising it, and the energy companies are already swallowing huge costs. The cost of energy has massively increased. I’m really not sure what the solution is, but agree it’s going to be difficult for so many people. Our standard of living is going to take a big hit.

The government is subsiding fuck all.

Look at France for real governance on this.

As usual our shit show of leadership is fucking hopeless

We sold our utilities cheap and pissed the money up the wall

We didn’t invest the money from North Sea oil and gas like the Norwegians. They have one of the biggest wealth funds in the world we used it to keep tax lower.

We started to switch to renewable energy without the infrastructure so buying power from German instead of investing.

We are in the biggest mess and the government is busy trying to hide and ensure it’s Russian backers are still able to back them. Our sanctions list is shit.

But then some fuckers voted Tory.

@Batinhernightdress no I hear you. I was fine, stuck my parka on and got warm on my bike, very different for very young kids and the elderly. I hard times.

schools have to cover the costs from their budgets. The school I teach in is warning us to limit our energy usage

Yes, make sure you keep the windows open for ventilation to limit the spread of Covid but also turn the heating off. Thank God it's nearly Spring. I'll try not to think about next winter.

Does anyone think the prices will eventually reduce or will this be what it’s going to be like from now on?

It’s my electricity costs that are sky high, with the kids on their gaming computers etc

A single adult over 25 on UC gets approx. £4000 per year. All their food, broadband, mobile, Gas and Electric, Council Tax and travelling costs have to come out of £4000. It is a disgrace. These are all essential bills. You have to have a mobile to claim UC. You can no longer just go to the Library to use their computers, there are a very limited number available. That's if your local Library is still open, lots have been closed.

They will never be able to afford it. There will be millions going without Electric and Gas.

@somewhereovertherain I think if I remember correctly when we did try to invest in nuclear the nimbys and the batty green protesters were lying down in front of diggers and other such nonsense.

@lorking

If we'd saved the North Sea oil money & kept it owned by the people like Norway,

and yes far too much short term thinking

Norway has always had significantly more oil and gas resources than the UK and a much much lower population. It isn't that simple, although our government has discouraged investment in hydrocarbons recently which has led to less domestic supply and the UK becoming a net importer.

@willowstar

I am really worried about rising costs. We are in an old house and can't afford new doors, which would really help. We have oil fired central heating and have almost ran out. I have been turning the heating off. It is pretty miserable and tonight I caved and out it back on as we were all so cold. Not sure how we are going to get through this, but we will.

@willowstar You can get tape or edging to help stop draughts around the edges, mine is like a long strip that you screw along the edge of the door, and draught excluders help too. For poorly glazed windows, you can get clear insulating window film.

@Legalconundrums

Is it wise to turn the fridge freezer off overnight ?or does it use more energy getting back to temperature? I've had power cuts for hours and the fridge/freezer was unaffected as long as the door wasn't opened...

I dont know. I did ask a poster to start a separate thread and help with more advice.

Quite frankly the government should be handing out advice.
Cant help but think, if they dont get their house in order sharpish, they will have a peoples' backlash in some way.

@icelolly12

Is it this bad in Europe, Australia, USA or are we facing higher rises than the rest of the world? It is very scary that prices for food, petrol, bills etc just seem to be rising week after week... I dread to think what they'll be by December...

It's horrendous in Norway too.

@willowstar For anyone with large gaps under front doors, you can get something called a Macclesfield sill or step to reduce the gap.

www.cooksonhardware.com/tools.php/brand/6693/kw/Stormguard-Door-Thresholds

Everything is going to go up astronomically with the cost of production, food transportation and food storage in distribution and point of sale.

@cakeorwine

I wonder how much less gas would be used if we did 'Insulate Britain'?

Actually took steps to increase the amount of insulation in houses.
Replaced inefficient boilers
Helped with loft insulation, wall insulation
Helped reduce draughts

I know Priti Patel wants to jail people for years if they protest loudly about this - but insulating Britain could reduce the gas we use in our heating.

The only problem with these schemes is that they become an absolute racket with only official installers allowed who charge twice the going rate for a piss poor job.

I think we'll do without heating and just put the boiler on timer for half an hour a day for hot water. What I really object to is my electricity standing charge increasing by 23p to 42 p a day, because I can't do anything about that.

I really recommend a smart thermometer. It’s an initial outlay but it’s fantastic how it controls the heating. We have a large 1930s house which is never cold but the heating isn’t on for long each day and it’s on at exactly the right times for us. If I go out and heating is still on, it switches it off for me. I can turn it on and off from my phone.

It learns, switches off when you are out etc so there is very little waste.

Ours is nest but I have also used hive.

@Legalconundrums

Is it wise to turn the fridge freezer off overnight ?or does it use more energy getting back to temperature? I've had power cuts for hours and the fridge/freezer was unaffected as long as the door wasn't opened...

Itight not defrost completely but it will use energy in the morning trying to get back to temperature. Frozen food will get freezer burn a lot faster. Chilled food will spoil faster, so false economy. Even with costs going up, a fridge freezer wouldn't be costing more than the price of a carton of milk, per week, to run.