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Original poster

Standing Charge

21 replies

chillipenguin · 26/08/2022 22:28

Hi is the standing charge how much I pay every day just to have the energy supplied? So even if I use nothing my bills are still going to be high. I don't get why this is? The price for them to have the infrastructure is the same surely the pipes are already there.

OP posts:
tiredandstripey · 26/08/2022 22:36

Yes that’s right. So if you vacated your house for an entire month and didn’t use a drop of gas or electric with every single thing turned off, you would still pay the daily standing charge for both gas and electric and get a bill for those. It’s insane.

Cynderella · 26/08/2022 22:37

It's how it is - in the olden days, some tariffs had a higher unit rate and no standing charge which was better for low users. Now, it's there for everyone.

Original poster
chillipenguin · 26/08/2022 22:38

Is it actually costing them more to get it to my house then? That seems so weird! Like if I'm not using the gas then why am I paying more for them not to get gas to me.

OP posts:
alwpejdj · 26/08/2022 22:44

chillipenguin · 26/08/2022 22:38

Is it actually costing them more to get it to my house then? That seems so weird! Like if I'm not using the gas then why am I paying more for them not to get gas to me.

The standing charge on the current rate works out at an average of £23 a month I think. I think it only goes up by about a penny a day with the new Oct price cap so that isn't really the increase that will cause much issues. As far as I understand it the standing charge has increased to cover the costs of all the energy companies who went bust amount other things.

DenholmElliot1 · 26/08/2022 22:45

This is what is so annoying. It won't really make much difference cutting down on usage when the standing charge has been doubled.

kingsleysbootlicker · 26/08/2022 22:51

I'm in NI and don't have a standing charge... is it a GB thing or does it just depend on which company you're with?

I'd actually never heard of standing charges and fixed rates until all the posts on here over the last few months

Cynderella · 26/08/2022 22:51

chillipenguin · 26/08/2022 22:38

Is it actually costing them more to get it to my house then? That seems so weird! Like if I'm not using the gas then why am I paying more for them not to get gas to me.

I suppose it's like having a phone line (landline) - you pay for the line even if you don't make a call. But, as said, it's not the standing charge that will cripple us. It's the charge for energy used, so still worth reducing those kwh.

alwpejdj · 26/08/2022 22:55

DenholmElliot1 · 26/08/2022 22:45

This is what is so annoying. It won't really make much difference cutting down on usage when the standing charge has been doubled.

Cutting down on usage would make a big difference to your bills. For example the Oct standing charge for electric is 46p a day, but the per kWh for electric is 52p. So if the average 3 bed house with 2-3 people uses 2,900 kWh per year (British Gas prediction) that's on average 8 kWh per day. In your one day of average electric use you pay a standing charge of 46p and then an additional £4.16 for the electricity you use. Over a month that is roughly £143. If you cut your electric usage in half you standing charge would still be 46p per day but your electricity cost would be £2.08, so over a month £78 approx. Which would be a saving of £65. The standing charge is an increase, however the massive bills are going to come from the increased cost per kWh.

snowflake29 · 26/08/2022 22:56

kingsleysbootlicker · 26/08/2022 22:51

I'm in NI and don't have a standing charge... is it a GB thing or does it just depend on which company you're with?

I'd actually never heard of standing charges and fixed rates until all the posts on here over the last few months

I'm in NI and do have a standing charge, who are you with?

kingsleysbootlicker · 26/08/2022 23:00

@snowflake29 Airtricity. That answers my question then!

CaptainBarbosa · 26/08/2022 23:06

It annoys me that those with the highest standing charges are pay as you go customers, they will get maxed out on high rates, all because these customers tend to spend less per month so they milk them on the standing charge.

Original poster
chillipenguin · 26/08/2022 23:51

alwpejdj · 26/08/2022 22:45

Thank you

OP posts:
snowflake29 · 27/08/2022 00:07

kingsleysbootlicker · 26/08/2022 23:00

@snowflake29 Airtricity. That answers my question then!

Me too! We definitely have a standing charge, I didn't think it was possible to have without.

kingsleysbootlicker · 27/08/2022 00:33

@snowflake29 Are you on Economy 7?

Standing Charge
GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok · 27/08/2022 20:16

we have 2 meters, as the house used to be 2 flats.
So downstairs is monthly bills(have cancelled DD) whilst upstairs is prepayment meter.
So 2 lots of standing charges.
Our downstairs boiler has been off since April, its grim.Thinking of heated throws downstairs and not having the heating on at all
It's grim, and unfathomable, that people are living like this.
And I grew up in a house with one coal fire, no carpets and no other means of heating, I never, ever dreamed I would be considering being cold again.

Cynderella · 27/08/2022 23:49

GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok · 27/08/2022 20:16

we have 2 meters, as the house used to be 2 flats.
So downstairs is monthly bills(have cancelled DD) whilst upstairs is prepayment meter.
So 2 lots of standing charges.
Our downstairs boiler has been off since April, its grim.Thinking of heated throws downstairs and not having the heating on at all
It's grim, and unfathomable, that people are living like this.
And I grew up in a house with one coal fire, no carpets and no other means of heating, I never, ever dreamed I would be considering being cold again.

We moved into a house where half of downstairs was let as a flat. There were two immersion heaters and two meters - we got rid of the second meter as soon as we moved in. I don't remember how it was done, but it was very straightforward.

BarbaraofSeville · 28/08/2022 05:19

Unless you are an extremely low user, the standing charge is neither here nor there for most people. It's 5-10% of the total bill if you're around the price cap levels of usage, £23 pm out of an average monthly bill of £2-300 or more. It's really not the issue, bills would be nearly as high as they are even if it was zero.

There's information published about what it covers on the OFGEM website. Things like the cost of regulation, for which all suppliers pay a levy, covering the cost of all the suppliers that went bust recently, installation of smart meters, meter reading, infrastructure maintenance etc. They have these costs whether you use any gas or electricity or not.

indio32 · 29/08/2022 11:39

tiredandstripey · 26/08/2022 22:36

Yes that’s right. So if you vacated your house for an entire month and didn’t use a drop of gas or electric with every single thing turned off, you would still pay the daily standing charge for both gas and electric and get a bill for those. It’s insane.

That was the whole point of the standing charge so people who didn't use any gas/electric still contributed towards the infrastructure.
Personally I'd like to see it added to the unit cost so the more you use the more you pay.

Toryscum · 02/10/2022 15:52

Standing charges should be scrapped biggest rip off ever .

frozendaisy · 02/10/2022 18:44

Yes it's annoying but we all pay it.
Not much you can do about it.

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