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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be completely horrified by gas and electric increase?

88 replies

Lex345 · 03/04/2022 11:39

I know I should have been expecting it, but this is going to be crippling! Our fixed term ran out in January, was advised to stay on flexi tariff (our bill to fix would have doubled to fix in any case, which I cant afford). We have a smart meter. Our daily usage in winter with heating was maximum £5 a day, even on really cold days with heating on for a good portion of the day. That is with 3 teens using electronics at some point too. Yesterday, no heating on at all and it was £5.50 when i went to bed. I have been around the house and turned everything off I can. Got up at 6am and was on 97p usage already (used to be approx 50p). No heating on. TV hasnt been on. No electronics on. Used oven for 30 mins this am. Currently at £2.50 already. I want to cry :(

OP posts:
ClaudineClare · 03/04/2022 12:50

@NoOtherShadeOfBlue

How on earth does anyone think they can get away with the magic money tree line since Theresa May used it and then promptly found A BILLION POUNDS to give to the DUP to keep herself in power. We know there is a fucking money tree or rather that the Tory government will always, always have enough money to shore up their own interests while happily letting poor people starve and freeze. How dare anyone suggest there isn't enough money to prevent this?
Exactly. The Magic Money Tree was given a good shaking during the pandemic in order to shower Toy mates with cash.

Why do people believe this shit about magic money trees and trot it out? Why do they collude with a government that cares nothing about them?

(Just waiting for the inevitable ...but Corbyn).

ClaudineClare · 03/04/2022 12:50

Tory mates.

notsohappydays · 03/04/2022 12:52

Horseshit. There’s a money tree when it suits them. especially when it's to pay their mates millions to produce ppe.

Original poster
Lex345 · 03/04/2022 13:10

Thanks for the suggestion on the Lidl brownies :) I love Lidl!

OP posts:
Trampitt · 03/04/2022 13:38

@WTAFFF

It’s not about a magic money tree in my opinion. It’s taking steps to protect a population from companies which are making billions in profits.

How has France managed to keep their energy price rises at a minimal level?

France's large scale nuclear generation probably helps them.
TibetanTerrah · 03/04/2022 13:50

How dare anyone suggest there isn't enough money to prevent this?

Rishi already said as much last week. Something about he was surprised there was more money available than he thought but he was "holding some back" Hmm I was only half listening to sky news but he certainly didn't allocate all of his budget so to speak. I guess hoarding money is a tough habit to break.

cptartapp · 03/04/2022 13:52

@Jaxhog

It's very scary. But would you suggest can be done? If the government takes action, they'll have to get the money from somewhere else. There isn't a money tree!
Unpopular maybe, but possibly time to scrap the winter fuel allowance, and pay out instead a 'cost of living' allowance means tested for all ages and awarded by actual financial need, not simply by virtue of being a certain age and regardless of financial circumstance. Many many thousands of very comfortably off pensioners receiving this handout they don't even need to dip into.
MyDcAreMarvel · 03/04/2022 13:56

@cptartapp Unpopular maybe, but possibly time to scrap the winter fuel allowance, and pay out instead a 'cost of living' allowance means tested for all ages and awarded by actual financial need, not simply by virtue of being a certain age and regardless of financial circumstance. it would cost to must to means test. Also every well off pensioner I know donates their winter fuel allowance. Obviously many will not but charities such as age concern definitely benefit.

Faevern · 03/04/2022 14:06

@Jaxhog

It's very scary. But would you suggest can be done? If the government takes action, they'll have to get the money from somewhere else. There isn't a money tree!
Oh dear you seem to have swallowed the Tory bullshit mantra.
Thedogscollar · 03/04/2022 16:06

@TibetanTerrah

How dare anyone suggest there isn't enough money to prevent this?

Rishi already said as much last week. Something about he was surprised there was more money available than he thought but he was "holding some back" Hmm I was only half listening to sky news but he certainly didn't allocate all of his budget so to speak. I guess hoarding money is a tough habit to break.

Yes I heard this too. I think he is holding it back till October when gas/electric are going up even more!!

He can then give us all £50 off our Winter fuel bill and we can all be forever gratefulAngry

DrManhattan · 03/04/2022 16:09

100% the government can do more. They spunked £9B on PPE remember, they could totally sort this out but they don't want to.

cptartapp · 03/04/2022 16:12

[quote MyDcAreMarvel]**@cptartapp* Unpopular maybe, but possibly time to scrap the winter fuel allowance, and pay out instead a 'cost of living' allowance means tested for all ages and awarded by actual financial need, not simply by virtue of being a certain age and regardless of financial circumstance.* it would cost to must to means test. Also every well off pensioner I know donates their winter fuel allowance. Obviously many will not but charities such as age concern definitely benefit.[/quote]
But they rejigged the child benefit system a few years back easily enough and removed many people's award without too much hassle. Mine included (quite rightly). I don't quite believe the cost argument anyway. When it suits it seems.
And I would the imagine the vast majority of wealthy pensioners do not donate their fuel allowance. Those I know boast of putting it towards holidays and nice bottles of wine.

TinySaltLick · 03/04/2022 16:27

As many others have said, there is ample money to offset a material amount of the price rises, let's be extremely clear on this point - it is an explicit, conscious decision by the current government to not enact any such support.

There are countless avenues which could have been utilised, but instead Johnson and Sunak have elected to prioritise the profits of the energy companies, investments held by their friends, and holding back 20bn for a 1p tax cut just before the next election - over the quality of life for those of the 70m people in this country who have to manage to a household budget

This situation is only this severe because they have chosen to secure another term over the quality of life of the people the falsely claim to represent, it truly is reprehensible beyond measure

Partey · 03/04/2022 16:29

I’m in the north east, I earn just over 25k.

I’m a single parent in a 2 bed end terraced and mine have risen to £220 per month

DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 17:05

Just a thought

To be completely horrified by gas and electric increase?
DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 17:29

Looks like energy rationing is coming too.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60973234

PinkiOcelot · 03/04/2022 17:36

I hate the “there isn’t a money tree” bollocks, which is basically just sticking up for this shower of shites who are currently our government.
There was a money tree in the pandemic for PPE that couldn’t be used, for test and trace that was an absolute joke, for lining the pockets of their cronies etc etc. shall I go on?!

OP, YANBU. These are very worrying times.

OldWivesTale · 03/04/2022 17:44

@NoOtherShadeOfBlue

How on earth does anyone think they can get away with the magic money tree line since Theresa May used it and then promptly found A BILLION POUNDS to give to the DUP to keep herself in power. We know there is a fucking money tree or rather that the Tory government will always, always have enough money to shore up their own interests while happily letting poor people starve and freeze. How dare anyone suggest there isn't enough money to prevent this?
This
earsup · 03/04/2022 17:54

Well...customers of EDF...pay the high prices here for them to subsidise the cheap electric for the french....employees and ex employees get free electric or super cheap so i wouldnt use that company....!!..france increased electric by only 4% this year...we need to nationalise the energy companies and subsidise it.

Delatron · 03/04/2022 18:03

The French government have capped prices at a 4% increase. Spain and Italy are subsidising petrol. Our government don’t appear to be doing anything.

Neverendingdust · 03/04/2022 18:21

Would we be in this situation without Brexit I wonder? I’d love to know what path we could have travelled on had we remained…

LadyCatStark · 03/04/2022 18:28

@Jaxhog

It's very scary. But would you suggest can be done? If the government takes action, they'll have to get the money from somewhere else. There isn't a money tree!
There was money for their mates’ track and trace system and dodgy face masks…
DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 18:32

@Neverendingdust

Would we be in this situation without Brexit I wonder? I’d love to know what path we could have travelled on had we remained…
Just remember this is a Tory Brexit.
Original poster
Lex345 · 03/04/2022 18:44

Well it looks like minimum usage in our house is £5 a day. No TV, electronics or heating today and we are on £4.70 now. I did splurge on using my oven and hob to cook an evening meal. This would have been a £3.50 day before, so a big jump. Dreading October.

OP posts:
latriciamcneal · 03/04/2022 19:15

@Jaxhog

It's very scary. But would you suggest can be done? If the government takes action, they'll have to get the money from somewhere else. There isn't a money tree!
Isn't there? Where do you think money comes from? What's it based on? How much can banks lend compared to how much gold they have in their vaults, if any?
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