Energy bills to hit £5,000 a year by 2020

ad9898_3

That would really hurt, especially with wage inflation likely to be low for some time. Still it's to be expected, we have had are head in the sand far too long, now it's becoming difficult to pull it out. It's ironic I was just talking about the threat that oil/energy etc.. poses in a different thread.

Energy bills will soar to more than £5,000 a year within the next decade, experts have warned.

Prices are expected to rise by a startling 42% each year, forcing thousands of families into fuel poverty. Analysts at price comparison website uSwitch.com said average annual bills have doubled from £580 five years ago to £1,243 today.

By 2020 they are expected to quadruple as Britain tries to replace outdated infrastructure and bring in green energy policies. Dependence on Eastern European gas also leaves us open to fluctuating energy markets.
Experts believe that once the worldwide recession is over, demand for power will soar in India and China, forcing global prices even higher.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs/household-bills/article.html?in_article_id=487804&in_page_id=510&ct=5

Really2

MMMM so perhaps people may see why I chose newbuild for one majour reason (other than a craking deal)
I said from day one I see energy being a majour expenses in the future.

My house is as cheap to run as a fully insulated 1960's 3 bed semi.
Anyone thinking they are going to get a house older than 10 years old to achive an "A" rating is in for a nasty shock.

Most 60's houses will only ever get to "D" at best

Older than that and you may never get better than an "F"

It surprises some on here make out they are so financialy savy yet do not even think of any of the other costs of owning a house (EG people thinking they will get a pre 1800's house)

ad9898_3

Really2 wrote: »

MMMM so perhaps people may see why I chose newbuild for one majour reason (other than a craking deal)

I'm not sure why people knock newbuilds so much, I lived in a 4 bed detached and it was great, no issues, everything upto date etc..., although maybe the key word here is 'detached', as I obviously had no noise or neighbour issues, perhaps new build semi's aren't so hot, I did live in a semi that was built in 1980 and it was unbelieveably bad, door bell, TV, telephone, toilet flush, toilet seat, burping...... etc was all clearly audible, it was little better than a tent. These particular houses now are up for 115k, I wouldn't give a vendor £11.50 for one, utter crap in every way.

1echidna

Yes it will hurt, but I would suggest that no more than the situation that pertained forty years ago before the days of cheap gas/higher incomes when many families had to watch the amount of money they could afford to feed into slot meters. It will also make the economics of alternative sources of energy much more attractive. There are many such technologies in the pipeline.

maninthestreet

There will be rioting on the streets if energy bills reach £1,250 per quarter in 5 years.

ad9898_3

maninthestreet wrote: »

There will be rioting on the streets if energy bills reach £1,250 per quarter in 5 years.

It may well come to pass, short termism is going to be the West's downfall, blackouts are already forecast for 2014-15 in the UK.

Really2

ad9898 wrote: »

I'm not sure why people knock newbuilds so much, I lived in a 4 bed detached and it was great, no issues, everything upto date etc..., although maybe the key word here is 'detached', as I obviously had no noise or neighbour issues, perhaps new build semi's aren't so hot, I did live in a semi that was built in 1980 and it was unbelieveably bad, door bell, TV, telephone, toilet flush, toilet seat, burping...... etc was all clearly audible, it was little better than a tent. These particular houses now are up for 115k, I wouldn't give a vendor £11.50 for one, utter crap in every way.

Me neither during my youth I have lived in pretty much everything and I think by far the worst houses are 1900's - 1970's.

I can see why people think they are over priced but I would have never purchased one during the boom times. Even if I did I would never pay more for a house than an equiverlent estabised house.

Just during the boom their was plenty of idiots willing to pay full asking price for everything (cars everything)

But your right perhaps the detached part hides the noise issues.

i lived in a 1940's council house when I was younger and that was made of one row of bricks.
You know when you have a frost on the way as you could not open the windows

1echidna

ad9898 wrote: »

It may well come to pass, short termism is going to be the West's downfall, blackouts are already forecast for 2014-15 in the UK.

Oh dear, you are deeply pessimistic on all fronts, I honestly believe that society is a lot less 'short termism' than it used to be. It is good to hear the prediction of disaster scenarios though as they feed the backroom work which is going on to avoid, or mitigate the effects of problems which will arise. But taking the most pessimistic forecasts one can find from a trawl through alarmist publications is very unlikely to give one a true outlook on the future.

ad9898_3

1echidna wrote: »

Oh dear, you are deeply pessimistic on all fronts, I honestly believe that society is a lot less 'short termism' than it used to be. It is good to hear the prediction of disaster scenarios though as they feed the backroom work which is going on to avoid, or mitigate the effects of problems which will arise. But taking the most pessimistic forecasts one can find from a trawl through alarmist publications is very unlikely to give one a true outlook on the future.

I understand where you're coming from, but the unsustainability of having 6 billion people on the planet is very plain to see, only cheap oil and in turn fertilizers etc... have allowed this to happen, the human race isn't doomed by any means, but a return to sustainability will take a severe adjustment, it's just fact.

1echidna

ad9898 wrote: »

I understand where you're coming from, but the unsustainability of having 6 billion people on the planet is very plain to see, only cheap oil and in turn fertilizers etc... have allowed this to happen, the human race isn't doomed by any means, but a return to sustainability will take a severe adjustment, it's just fact.

There are many, many technological fixes, some adjustments will be necessary I agree but just how severe remains to be seen and there is a good chance that, albeit with the odd setback, life will continue to improve. Look at the personal computer and mobile phone revolutions of the past twenty years. There are things like solar thermal power (in the world's sun belt), nanotechnology and genetically modified crops that may have profound significance in the.next twenty.

ad9898_3

1echidna wrote: »

There are many, many technological fixes

No, there aren't, not for 6 billion. For 2 billion, yes, I would agree with your post.