Anyone not going to have heating on at all ?

[Bycandlelight22]

So apparently my electric bill is going to be 2344.57 a year. And my gas will be 3363.23 a year.

According to the bill I just got between 8th-15th September I used 29.82 in electricity. And between 8th--15th September I used 2.22 in gas.

When winter sets in I'm planning on not having the heating on at all. We will wear extra layers and have blankets etc. Then my gas should be very simlar to what it is now?

I have heard that I could save money by using an air fryer ? And simlar gadgets is this true or is it just a trend ? Are they suitable for large familys ? Is there anything else that could help ?

I've read 17 is this minimum to avoid health effects from poor heating, so ours will be going down in temperature but not off.

I used to play a sad game of delaying when the heating went on in the afternoons, I'd try and tough it out by doing the ironing or hoovering which are two jobs that get me hot and bothered ( and which have to be done at some point anyway)

You cant burn that on a wood burner, its full of toxins and glue

@PuddlesOnFire - you can’t just burn any old wood, especially not palette wood which is often treated with chemicals or could have been transporting something which leaked on it. Furniture is probably painted or treated with varnish/wax also not good to burn.

X post with @bellac11

Okay. I should have clarified. We're using normal untreated palettes (mostly from the one person who gives them to us after they have been used to transport playground equipment on ) for kindling and some solid wood furniture and it's on an open fire and not a wood burner.

You're right, were not using painted or treated etc. We're also using smokeless briquettes and not coal.

All electric house.
New build
Well insulated
Double glazing
Economy 7

Estimated at HALF of your bill.
I take a reading every day.
In the last 2 months cost about £50 a month.
This won't change but obviously heating will added.
They have given you an estimate- probably compared to others people living in a similar house.
Have the heat on and work out how many units you have used.
Remember every one is getting £400 so that's going to go a long way to pay for gas central heating (cheaper than ours being electric)

It can cause serious and sometimes permanent damage to your health to go without any home heating. Pneumonia, severe tonsillitis and more. Plus minor issues like circulation problems and chilblains. It's not possible in our climate, at least, not without adverse health repercussions.

I don’t think anyone would do it if they didn’t have to or weren’t genuinely on the bones of their arse. I think most people know it’s not good for us to have no heating.

Oh absolutely, but it can cause such serious issues that it is worth going into debt to avoid a no-heating situation in UK winter.

Or, as a great many people are able to do, taking on evening or weekend work.

This has the double advantage of getting you somewhere warm while you are working and getting you some extra money to keep the heating on.

As I wrote above, even five hours per week is enough to pay to heat and light an average home.

You do realise that a lot of those who are on an extremely low income will be those unable to work at all- either due to their own disabilities (as in my case) or due to caring for someone who is disabled (also in my case! And childcare for disabled children is practically non existent) or they may be very elderly. It’s not as easy as just picking up 5/10 hours in a bar job…!

Op are you a single parent ? How many kids do you have? Do you have anyone who can help you with child care`? Could their father take them whilst you work a second job or vice Versa, and have you checked you are getting all the benefits you’re entitled to?

there are too many families living in poverty , too many children growing up in this kind of poverty, it’s prudent to see if any way to earn extra or claim extra.

Or they might already be doing a second job or they might be a single parent who spends their 'free" time, shopping, washing, ironing, cleaning, cooking, sorting the kids and sleeping.

Of course but it doesn’t mean we can’t ask because it “could be”.

And you do realize that I explicitly referred to those who are able to?

Or did you just decide to argue against a point I explicitly didn’t make?

Any more stupid excuses you want to trot out?

Pipes will only burst if they are full. You can drain the system down every evening to prevent them splitting.

I have lived through three winters with no heating at all and it was nothing like as bad as I expected. I think it's a matter of being super organised and trying to not hate it.

Dh is not well enough to tolerate no heat. We are moving into the caravan this winter.

Your tone was implying that it’s easy for most people to do this. I don’t think a “great many people are able to” work their way out of fuel poverty if they’re already in such dire times that they can’t even put their heating on at all. Being in a freezing cold house isn’t a choice people want to make.

They are not excuses, for many people they are reality. Many people don't have the ability to get a second job because of time, cost of going to the job being more than the salary, energy or as has been said inability. They may also simply not live somewhere where there is work for someone with their skills and availability.

I don’t think it was I’m sorry, I think uou are projecting your own issues here. The poster didn’t indicate it was easy. And they specifically started by saying those who were able.

they made a prudent suggestion. And with all due respect it’s best to let the o- answer the suggestions. None of us know why these children are being raised in poverty like this, it maybe disabilities it might not, but it’s best to let her respond and not attack posters who try to help her because the suggestions wouldn’t help you.

Yeah, good answer. I agree with you.

But again we need the op to respond, right? And to be fair, most working parents do all that stuff like ironing etc on top of working.

Its hugely irritating when someone writes a suggestion or an idea and then all people do is say 'well they might have only one leg', 'they might have 11 kids and no home', 'they might be locked up' etc etc etc

It is assumed, its a given that should someone have circumstances which mean they cannot employ the suggestion made, then obviously it doesnt apply to them

Its more seen within threads like these where people take offence at suggestions to save money or keep warm by other means such as wrapping up, using other methods etc and yet when there are posts all over the internet about how people live, running showers to 'warm up' for 10 mins before the person gets in, using tumbledryers when they dont have to, using appliances unecessarily and are grateful for ideas. This shows that advice is necessary. And helpful

I'm not I'm the position to work. I have 2 children with special needs. And other things going on .

This was my thought . Why just accept you have no money when there are plenty of vacancies . I didn't have much money when I was younger and went from a full time job to a part time evening job . It's just what a lot of us did .