Energy Prices

[Gnasher]

On 22/03/2023 at 17:18, Gnasher said:

Cunt.

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/03/woman-87-died-from-hypothermia-for-fear-of-high-energy-bills-inquest-hears

 

 

 

 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Yeah but at least those at the top have never had it better and at the end of the day isn't that what us plebs exist for.

[Gnasher]

On 22/03/2023 at 14:48, Gnasher said:

'Tough at the top. 

 

Cost of living crisis.

 

 

 

 

"forcing entry to homes of people over 85" will be banned .Over 85, fucking hell, they were forcing entry into the homes of people of that age, dear god. Could have given them a heart attack. 

 

Forced entry should be banned across the board. Over 85s only? they're all heart.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/17/energy-firms-ban-forced-prepay-meter-installations-over-85s-body-cams

 

 

 

[stringvest]

1 minute ago, Gnasher said:

 

 

"forcing entry to homes of people over 85" will be banned .Over 85, fucking hell, they were forcing entry into the homes of people of that age, dear god. Could have given them a heart attack. 

 

Forced entry should be banned across the board. Over 85s only? they're all heart.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/17/energy-firms-ban-forced-prepay-meter-installations-over-85s-body-cams

 

 

 

 

that's a shame.  I would have been glad of the company.

[Creator Supreme]

Had my first dual fuel statement since my direct debit went up.

 

Extra £93 per month paid on the Direct Debit, and I'm £30 further in the shit than I was!

[Elite]

48 minutes ago, Creator Supreme said:

Had my first dual fuel statement since my direct debit went up.

 

Extra £93 per month paid on the Direct Debit, and I'm £30 further in the shit than I was!

Have you tried using candles, sitting in complete darkness and washing in the local river?

[Creator Supreme]

28 minutes ago, Elite said:

Have you tried using candles, sitting in complete darkness and washing in the local river?

Highly fucking tempting mate!

[Gnasher]

More good news.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/02/bp-profits-energy-windfall-tax-oil-gas

 

 

 

 

[TheBitch]

13 minutes ago, Gnasher said:

More good news.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/02/bp-profits-energy-windfall-tax-oil-gas

 

 

 

 

They're quite simply taking the piss now. 

[Gnasher]

1 minute ago, TheBitch said:

They're quite simply taking the piss now. 

 

Yep. In a nutshell.

[johnsusername]

On 17/04/2023 at 20:01, Elite said:

Have you tried using candles, sitting in complete darkness and washing in the local river?

 

You are Lee Anderson and I claim my Great British 5 guineas, 3 shillings, 2 half-pennies and a farthing. 

[Gnasher]

Tough at the top latest.

 

[Gnasher]

Sharon has the correct solution. 

 

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/05/labours-biggest-union-backer-calls-on-party-to-nationalise-energy-sector/?doing_wp_cron=1684397660.2161350250244140625000&s=09

 

 

[Gnasher]

Anyone here bought energy off Ovo or Good Energy? 

 

I haven't but if anyone on here has this may (or may not) be of intrest.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/may/18/ovo-good-energy-compensation-overcharging-ofgem-electricity-gas-bills

 

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

Electricity prices in Finland flipped negative — a huge oversupply of clean, hydroelectric power meant suppliers were almost giving it away.

[littletedwest]

[Gnasher]

At last. At long fucking last  Help is around the corner. Blue skies are on the horizon. 

 

Only not for the likes of me and you but for Shell and BP.

 

 

 

Oh well.

[Gnasher]

A message for the experts, Rico & Dockers.

 

 

 

 

[Gnasher]

 

 

 

[Daisy]

yeah but its only 3.7p per customer or something isnt it Rico? 

[Gnasher]

Dockers? Rico? ...where are you?

 

Can't read full article as its behind a paywall but that headline and the first paragraph doesn't sound good. 350,000 switched to more expensive tariff.

 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/smart-meters-switched-remotely-more-expensive-tariffs/?gaa_at=la&gaa_n=AfHvTEuYdiMUv1prqCV6cgbeLAOr26t3en6SMtDc5W03FECJEHerGkgMo32FWzauyHE%3D&gaa_ts=64c21eb2&utm_source=newsshowcase&utm_medium=discover&utm_campaign=CCwqFwgwKg4IACoGCAowm6R6MMKqCTCTzdQBMJHa8QE&utm_content=bullets&gaa_sig=_smIve-QPH8T5LIVWLRfQxIC0X2rdJryrdE-vxTsmT7ExTC8L44HSW-FC72j2cO39QbTfDB29KJjrw3VKrTuCg%3D%3D

 

 

[Megadrive Man]

35 minutes ago, Gnasher said:

Dockers? Rico? ...where are you?

 

Can't read full article as its behind a paywall but that headline and the first paragraph doesn't sound good. 350,000 switched to more expensive tariff.

 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/smart-meters-switched-remotely-more-expensive-tariffs/?gaa_at=la&gaa_n=AfHvTEuYdiMUv1prqCV6cgbeLAOr26t3en6SMtDc5W03FECJEHerGkgMo32FWzauyHE%3D&gaa_ts=64c21eb2&utm_source=newsshowcase&utm_medium=discover&utm_campaign=CCwqFwgwKg4IACoGCAowm6R6MMKqCTCTzdQBMJHa8QE&utm_content=bullets&gaa_sig=_smIve-QPH8T5LIVWLRfQxIC0X2rdJryrdE-vxTsmT7ExTC8L44HSW-FC72j2cO39QbTfDB29KJjrw3VKrTuCg%3D%3D

 

 

 

 

Hundreds of thousands of homes with smart meters have been remotely switched to more expensive prepayment plans in the past six years.

Over 350,000 smart meters were remotely switched to repay debt between 2017 and 2023, The Telegraph can reveal.

It comes as Ofgem, the energy regulator, is set to bring in new rules setting a “minimum standard” that limits when firms can forcibly change a customer’s tariff. Campaigners are also calling on the Government to outlaw the practice altogether.

The number of remote switches rose fivefold in the five years to 2021, but dropped 61pc in 2022 to 58,977 from over 152,000 the year before, according to official figures, as the Government stepped in to shield consumers from surging costs by raising the energy price cap and introducing the Energy Price Guarantee.

Britain’s smart meter rollout has been billed as a cost-saver for households by its supporters, but has saddled billpayers with three million “dumb” devices that can no longer submit automatic readings to suppliers.

Energy providers have faced criticism for using smart meters to remotely force indebted customers onto more costly prepayment meters without a warrant, which is required to enter a home and manually install one.

1603 Energy price cap has saved households hundreds of pounds

Gillian Cooper, head of energy policy at charity Citizens Advice, said: “As energy bills rocketed last year, far too many people were forced onto a prepayment meter they couldn’t afford to keep topped up – often despite clear evidence they could suffer harm if their credit ran out.

“Ofgem’s code of practice is a much-needed improvement in the protections people have against forced installations, including remote switches…These protections must be in place by winter or history could repeat itself.”

Prepayment tariffs are on average £21 a year more expensive than ordinary meter tariffs, according to Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, which announced this month that it would fund an elimination of prepayment premiums until April 2024, when Ofgem is expected to bring in further measures scrapping them permanently.

In February, Ofgem imposed a temporary ban on forced switches ahead of updating its code of practice, under which suppliers will be required to make at least 10 attempts to contact a customer before making an involuntary switch and conduct a welfare visit before doing so.

Suppliers are also banned from carrying out involuntary installations of prepayment meters for customers who are over the age of 85 and those who require a continuous supply of energy for health reasons. Installers must also wear body cameras and apply £30 of credit after a meter has been switched either remotely or in-person.

In a year marked by the cost of living crisis, 4,914 people on average were remotely switched to prepayment meters every month of 2022, according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The most remote switches occurred in the three months from July to September, which saw just over 16,758 in total.

Smart meter - poll (Do you have a smart meter installed? )

Campaigners have said that the latest rules do not go far enough and called on the Government to enact an outright ban on the practice of involuntarily switching customers’ meters.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “We know that the majority of smart meter switches to PPM mode take place due to debt. This highlights the need for the Government working with charities and energy firms to develop a ‘help to repay’ scheme for the nation’s surging levels of household energy debt.

“Switching a smart meter to prepayment mode without a customers’ explicit and informed consent is as good as forcing them to self-disconnect… the Government must amend the Energy Bill to ban forced switching to traditional or smart prepayment meters when the legislation comes back to the House of Commons in September.”

While it is not clear what proportion of remote switches since 2017 were involuntary, as opposed to voluntary switches where the customer agrees or requests the change, the quarterly number of switches fell by 40pc on the 2022 average during the first three months of 2023 when the moratorium on forcing PPMs on customers came into effect.

The total number of remote switches between 2017 and the first quarter of 2023 was 354,118, according to Ofgem’s figures.

Households that cannot afford to top up their meter risk being disconnected from their power entirely and suppliers are able to dock outstanding debt from the top ups.

The switches, which have been criticised by charities, are now expected to become less common as more rules are brought in.

 

Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem’s chief executive, said in April that: “We expect the overall number of involuntary prepayment meter installations will fall over time, and we recognise that a careful balance is required to help manage debt, while protecting customers in vulnerable situations.”

A spokesman for the watchdog added: “Protecting consumers is our top priority which is why we brought in a Code of Practice on prepayment meter (PPM) earlier this year – signed up to by all energy suppliers. This is currently being enshrined into licensing rules and regulations.

She added: “Even before this, a voluntary pause on forced prepayment meters was already in place, and, as we said when we announced the Code of Practice, where this is not being adhered to by companies, we will always take the necessary action.”

A spokesman for Energy UK, which represents energy firms, said: “Earlier this year, suppliers voluntarily halted prepayment meter installations under warrant – including remote switches where a smart meter is changed to prepayment mode – to review their own practices whilst Ofgem also carried out its own investigation.

“The pause remains in place until that process is concluded. When installations resume, a new Code of Practice, agreed between suppliers and Ofgem, will strengthen the process and assessments surrounding prepayment meter installations and remote switches – particularly when identifying if this may not be safe for vulnerable customers.”

She added: “Prepayment meters will remain an important way of helping customers manage their own energy costs and usage. Suppliers are required to try and prevent customers from falling further into arrears and to minimise the build of bad debt which is ultimately recouped from all customers.”

 

[Gnasher]

^ thanks MegadriveMan.

[TheBitch]

I was paying £88 a month all of last year, then I got an email saying they’ve increased my payments to £99, then I got an email saying the wholesale price of gas is going down then I got this kick in the teeth saying I need to pay £173 a month. 
 

I’m £88 in credit.

[Reacher]

I'd be very interested to hear how such massive profits can be explained, from what I've read alot of it is from the commerical arm of British Gas as they had their energy cap lifted. The problem with that is those costs are just passed on to the consumer, I'm trying to withhold judgement here but thats an insane jump. Especially with the cost of living, British Gas just seem to be compounding the problem?

 

The smaller businesses then go pop, multi-nationals then open up.  Provide the same services locals used to provide and enact the same practices we have been watching unfold. It's nefarious.