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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:
MonaCorona · 03/04/2022 19:20

Horseshit. There’s a money tree when it suits them

Furlough, for example. Perhaps some of the people who saved shedloads of money by WFH during the pandemic, or who were furloughed and paid not to work at all, could repay some of their savings?

latriciamcneal · 03/04/2022 19:23

@Comedycook

There isn't a money tree!

Yet they expect ordinary people to have one Hmm

No they expect people to take out digital debt then work to pay it back with interest, this IS the money system, it's how money is created and it was lagging and needed to be encouraged once more.
Campervangirl · 03/04/2022 19:39

I got my revised payment plan yesterday.
I have have a relatively small mortgage but my new monthly gas and electric direct debit is slightly higher than my monthly mortgage payment 🙄
Christ knows how people with big mortgages / rent / DC are going to manage

MrOllivander · 03/04/2022 19:53

@MonaCorona

Horseshit. There’s a money tree when it suits them

Furlough, for example. Perhaps some of the people who saved shedloads of money by WFH during the pandemic, or who were furloughed and paid not to work at all, could repay some of their savings?

What savings? I was furloughed and paid 80% of my wage My work commute is 3 miles, I don't have children so no childcare costs I saved nothing except maybe £20 in fuel. Was worse off because I was on 80% of my wage!
Sleepdeprived921 · 03/04/2022 19:54

We are in exactly the same position as you OP! We have been so shocked at the increase, yes we all knew it was coming but seeing the increase daily on the smart meter has been horrific! We are also going round making sure everything is turned off or scared to put things on as the price seems to be so high even when nothing is on and it’s only been a couple of days!

Crikeyalmighty · 03/04/2022 20:13

If we are talking about moneytrees- it’s very strange that the gvt thought it was fine to spend 330 billion on Brexit (more than we had ever paid in contributions) with very little actual fiscal benefits — apart from of course those things such as ‘freedom ’ and ‘independence’ which last time I looked didnt pay bills. The amount spunked on this and buying xenophobes votes would probably have paid everyone’s fuel bills in full for several years— it’s an absolute colossal waste of public money— but then again it’s always easier spending cash that isn’t personally yours— and I’m
Not some rabid left winger either— just alarmed that some people do not realise this bunch of chancers are filling theirs and their mates coffers out of the public purse.

hookiewookie29 · 03/04/2022 20:27

My Mum's direct debit has tripled each month. She's 86 and only has her pension. She lives in a small one bedroom HA flat. Appalling!

MynameisJune · 03/04/2022 20:28

That’s seem quite high Op.

We are averaging about £2.50 a day, when we charge our electric car up it goes to around £3.70 a day. Heating constantly on 16c, old TV that draws a lot of power and numerous tech items plugged in on standby. Plus old kitchen appliances as we’ve not done our kitchen renovation yet.

I’d try and pin point what’s using the most power and see if you can swap it for something less.

BanjoKnickers · 03/04/2022 21:16

If we are talking about moneytrees- it’s very strange that the gvt thought it was fine to spend 330 billion on Brexit (more than we had ever paid in contributions) with very little actual fiscal benefits — apart from of course those things such as ‘freedom ’ and ‘independence’ which last time I looked didnt pay bills.

This is truly shocking.

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/04/2022 21:29

I've quoted Dickens and Marie Antoinette in the last few days on here. And TBH it genuinely does seem like the Tories want some Victorian Golden Age where the poor knew their place and everyone was sad, tired, cold and uneducated, with no healthcare to speak of. I mean is that actually what they want?

Unforgettablefire · 03/04/2022 21:33

I’m on a fixed which is ending soon. My gas is currently 2.543 per kWh but it’s going up to 7.27 does this seem right? I know it’s increasing but that jump seems huge Confused
What if we can’t even afford the standing charges??

Thedogscollar · 03/04/2022 21:39

@MrsTerryPratchett

I've quoted Dickens and Marie Antoinette in the last few days on here. And TBH it genuinely does seem like the Tories want some Victorian Golden Age where the poor knew their place and everyone was sad, tired, cold and uneducated, with no healthcare to speak of. I mean is that actually what they want?
It certainly looks like it.
Fifteentoes · 03/04/2022 22:07

@MrsTerryPratchett

I've quoted Dickens and Marie Antoinette in the last few days on here. And TBH it genuinely does seem like the Tories want some Victorian Golden Age where the poor knew their place and everyone was sad, tired, cold and uneducated, with no healthcare to speak of. I mean is that actually what they want?
Yes, and that's what many of the poor want too, which is why they keep voting for them.
Fifteentoes · 03/04/2022 22:08

There is a magic money tree. But it's in France, where energy is nationalised and prices will be going up by 4%.

QuebecBagnet · 03/04/2022 22:13

@Fifteentoes

There is a magic money tree. But it's in France, where energy is nationalised and prices will be going up by 4%.
I think France also has more self produced nuclear energy. We should never have been relying on Russia to this extent, the writing has been on the wall for years.
Fifteentoes · 04/04/2022 01:44

The UK gets less than 5% of its gas from Russia. For the EU the figure is much higher (c.40%) which makes it even more telling that they are able to arrange things to protect their vulnerable citizens and we don't bother.

The energy hikes have nothing to do with the war. They were announced before it started. I'm sure it won't stop the Tories using it as an excuse though, or people believing them.

Obviously we'll be indirectly affected by general global uncertainty, and maybe higher prices from other sources due to supply and demand, I don't know.

dipdye · 04/04/2022 02:12

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

^

Because they give a shit about their citizens? Heat and warmth is a basic human right.

They obviously haven't thought this through, it will be TERRIBLE for the economy

dipdye · 04/04/2022 02:13

**They being the Tories, not the French

Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase · 04/04/2022 02:24

This is a national emergency and I’m horrified that the Government are doing nothing about it. Are they really going to just sit back and watch families fall into destitution?

Scottishskifun · 04/04/2022 02:34

@Lex345

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.
Honestly I would look at fixed rates and do the maths based on your consumption versus the predicted rise. We finished our fixed rate in February but got offered a customer specific fixed tariff from Scottish gas it was double what I was paying but when I did the maths of onto the standard rate then increase in April it worked out cheaper for us. I'm glad I did as our standard rate has stayed around 23p compared to prices of 50p.

It's worth doing the sums based on your usage to if it's cheaper/makes it worthwhile. We cut back on other bills to make the cost less painful so phones, pet insurance, broadband, house insurance, food shopping were all changed. Appreciate not everyone has some of these.

Nat6999 · 04/04/2022 03:06

Definitely a halogen oven & a slow cooker or multi cooker that browns stuff as well if you can afford it. I only use my big oven for Pizza as they are too big for my halogen oven, I rarely use my hobs either, my halogen oven cooks bacon & sausages brilliantly, I can do most of a Sunday lunch in it, if I have to use the hobs I use my steamer, potatoes in the bottom & veg in the baskets so I save gas.

HandlebarLadyTash · 04/04/2022 03:17

@MonaCorona

Horseshit. There’s a money tree when it suits them

Furlough, for example. Perhaps some of the people who saved shedloads of money by WFH during the pandemic, or who were furloughed and paid not to work at all, could repay some of their savings?

I saved nothing, it costs me to work from home. I used to cycle to work.
Monty27 · 04/04/2022 03:33

@monaCorona
What planet are you on or you have so much money you're not affected?

lemmein · 04/04/2022 03:35

The only positive in all this is people are starting to wake up to this government - I predict they'll be unrest in the streets come late spring, there's only so much people will take. Maybe around the Jubilee? I imagine it's gonna sting (even more than usual) watching the Royals prance about in gold carriages whilst you're struggling to put food in your kids bellies.

People have had enough - there's been far too much apathy in this country, for decades, which has got us to the point where the chancellor can confidently describe his £200 fuel loan as 'generous' then fuck off to one of his 12 homes in California whilst the plebs anxiously stare at their smart meters. Boils my piss, it really does.

Some have put up with this shit for years - enough ffs, every single one of them should be in a cell.

Fuck, I'm so angry Sad

Least it's not Jeremy Corbyn though eh? Dicks!

EmmaGrundyForPM · 04/04/2022 03:43

How does wfh save money? DH and I are both wfh, as our offices haven't reopened yet. That means having the heating on, using our electicity for our laptops, putting the kettle on several times a day etc etc.