Governement looking after the `poorer`

DGJsaver

NPowerUser wrote: »

The government should be looking after the poorer in society, those on benefits and state pensions.

For many people in this category, fuel bills represent 10%+ of their income so I can't see why people earning £700 a week should be looking for handouts?

If people are struggling on £700 a week its down to lifestyle choices, not a £400 energy bill....

Why are you missing the point ?
It`s about regulating the energy companys better !!!


And its around £540 a week , not £700 , see above re assumptions

Barneysmom

savemoney wrote: »

Well I dont believe anything this wasted bunch of cretins they call MPs say any more they are all as bad as each other looking after themselves first and for most. They are a disgrace to society, not one of them is worth the money the tax payer pays them for the lavish lifstyle

They pretend they care, but under Labour the rich have prospered the most. Fair enough those on low incomes, the tax credits have helped some way, but child poverty is just as bad today as it was when they came to power, in fact if anything it will now get worse, food, fuel and mortgages have all gone up well above inflation

I can understand why they want wages settlements low, but most of this inflation is beyond our control.

Food, roof over our heads, and fuel are essential for life, and these basics have all gone through the roof

I completely agree with you, savemoney.
Did I hear today that John Lewis sales are down?


It's ok them saying to lag your house and yourself. The other night it went really cold, I went to bed in thick jammys, duvet, patchwork quilt and waffle weave blanket. I was snug in bed but the air in the room was so cold, it hurt to breathe, my nose was freezing.
I remember when we were little, we had a tin bath in the kitchen, no such thing as central heating, just a coal fire in the living room,. and a 2-bar fire in the bedroom.
I don't want to have to go back to them days, but I can feel it coming.

They won't be happy till we're living on gruel!

NPowerUser

In the ideal world the government should renationalise the utilities but as they are broke it's not going to happen.

When Tesco makes billions of pounds profits out of the food that I buy, should they suffer a windfall tax or be regulated?

When the big six energy companies make hundreds of millions of pounds in profits and the government will be looking to them all investing billions of pounds in nuclear energy, should they suffer a windfall tax or be regulated?

Whether I buy 12 eggs from Tesco or put my central heating on when I am cold they are all getting a profit.

There are ways middle income earners can save money as I have had to do.

My wife and I have never earned more than 20K between us, yet we have gone without holidays, new cars, eating out, socialising and a bigger better house.
We have paid off our mortgage 2 years ago and manage to pay our bills and brought up 2 kids. Its a basic house, terraced, but we are happy with it.

I would rather the poorer in society received help and that's what they appear to be doing.

Half price cavity wall insulation and loft insulation available to everyone, free to those on low incomes.
Increased winter fuel payments.
Reduced tariff disparity on key meters.
More social tariffs for the vulnerable.

Seems pretty fair to me.

DGJsaver

NPowerUser wrote: »

In the ideal world the government should renationalise the utilities but as they are broke it's not going to happen.

When Tesco makes billions of pounds profits out of the food that I buy, should they suffer a windfall tax or be regulated?

When the big six energy companies make hundreds of millions of pounds in profits and the government will be looking to them all investing billions of pounds in nuclear energy, should they suffer a windfall tax or be regulated?

Whether I buy 12 eggs from Tesco or put my central heating on when I am cold they are all getting a profit.

There are ways middle income earners can save money as I have had to do.

My wife and I have never earned more than 20K between us, yet we have gone without holidays, new cars, eating out, socialising and a bigger better house.
We have paid off our mortgage 2 years ago and manage to pay our bills and brought up 2 kids. Its a basic house, terraced, but we are happy with it.

I would rather the poorer in society received help and that's what they appear to be doing.

Half price cavity wall insulation and loft insulation (available to everyone).
Increased winter fuel payments.
Reduced tariff disparity on key meters.
More social tariffs for the vulnerable.

Seems pretty fair to me.

Excellent post and thanks

Thing is , the energy companys are more or less operating a cartel wouldnt you agree ? there is no competition to speak of , one goes up , they all go up

I would argue that tesco provide a better service for the money by a long long way...

TotallyBroke

I'm guessing that most of the people the Government class as poorer families won't be able to claim or the cavity wall insulation anyway. A lot of people on Income support are council tennants and therefore cannot get insulation without the Council agreement.
I myself have a mortgage on a property that I lease from the local council. If the council want to insulate their walls they can do but I'll be charged over the odds for them doing so.
The only people to benefit will be people who have some sort of benefits paid to them but own their own home or can get council agreement.

Barneysmom

A lot of older houses like mine can't have cavity wall insulation fitted, as they are solid walls. We've done our loft but I don't think it's going to keep the house any warmer.

We only eat out once a year, on my birthday, we only go for walks in the park. we had a free alton Towers ticket from The Sun earlier in the year.

Npoweruser, all this I agree with,
Half price cavity wall insulation and loft insulation available to everyone, free to those on low incomes.
Increased winter fuel payments.
Reduced tariff disparity on key meters.
More social tariffs for the vulnerable.

But I knew someone who didn't spend her £100 cold weather payment on heating, she went to Bingo with it. And still moaned about being to poor to put her fire on.
There are always people who play the system, do you think?

DGJsaver

Barneysmom wrote: »

There are always people who play the system, do you think?

ABSOLUTLEY

These are the people (like my brother in law) that manage to have sky , fags , beer and benefits (like the ones the governments proposing)

Cardew

DGJsaver wrote: »

Thing is , the energy companys are more or less operating a cartel wouldnt you agree ?one goes up , they all go up

No I wouldn't agree.

Thread after thread on MSE seems to assume that the reason for high energy prices are Utility company profits - and it ain't.

Prices for all companies, in all countries(unless they have a government subsidy) rise for one reason - world energy prices have risen.

The Utility companies make profits measured in £tens per year for each customer. Get them all to make zero profit and it will hardly dent our bills.

I have not seen one serious newspaper, or Government spokesman argue that the rises are not broadly commercially justified. (their profit margins are lower than Tesco)

Even the trashy Tabloids don't argue that the price rises are not justified by increases in world energy prices, but have headlines like "BG announce £xxx million profit and put up prices by xx%"

DGJsaver

Cardew wrote: »

No I wouldn't agree.

Thread after thread on MSE seems to assume that the reason for high energy prices are Utility company profits - and it ain't.

Prices for all companies, in all countries(unless they have a government subsidy) rise for one reason - world energy prices have risen.

The Utility companies make profits measured in £tens per year for each customer. Get them all to make zero profit and it will hardly dent our bills.

I have not seen one serious newspaper, or Government spokesman argue that the rises are not broadly commercially justified. (their profit margins are lower than Tesco)

Even the trashy Tabloids don't argue that the price rises are not justified by increases in world energy prices, but have headlines like "BG announce £xxx million profit and put up prices by xx%"

So where is the consumer choice when they are all at roughly the same levels ?

Tescos , Morrisons etc got fined millions for loosely fixing the price of cigarettes to certain levels , would this not be similar ?

And what other industry is allowed to scaremonger so blatantly ???

Also , its not the actual prices i am talking about , i`m more bothered with the scare tactics (fixed rates , penalty fees to switch etc)

bristolleedsfan

NPowerUser wrote: »

The government should be looking after the poorer in society, those on benefits and state pensions.

For many people in this category, fuel bills represent 10%+ of their income so I can't see why people earning £700 a week should be looking for handouts?

quote]


What do u say to those who say that a large number of people on state benefits drink alchol and smoke on a daily basis, whereas many on "higher" incomes do neither as part of their "lifestyle" decisions. :think: