MSE News: Scottish Power to hike energy prices

silly_moo

Premier wrote: »

:huh:

Is this in response to any particular post?
Are you comparing like with like?

In all the examples I have come across comparing like with like (i.e. the same supplier and the equivilent SC/NSC tariffs), then you will never pay more with a NSC tariff ... but you may pay less with a NSC tariff if you are a low user.
This is beacuse the tier 1 usage is capped so that you would never pay more than the equivilent SC tariff. If you don't use the tier 1 quantity, you will pay less with the equivilent NSC tariff.

I did my excel calculations and SC was always coming out cheaper. What's more, I doubled our usage just to see how the SC/NSC charges would change and it turned out that SC would be up to £50 a year cheaper!

So the numbers have spoken - the more gas and electricity you use, the cheaper it is to be on SC.

LDH

[FONT=&quot]Electrici[/FONT]

Hi

Please can somebody tell me how large the percentage increase will be for me?
On the last quarterly bill, i used 1460kWh of electricity and 195KWh for gas. My tarriff is Scottish Power 'Online Standard'. Unfortunately, i'm not in a position to sign up for any 12 month contracts to save money.
Below are the current and the new increased prices for the tariff, for both the daily service charge and the price per unit.

Many thanks.

[FONT=&quot]Electricity prices[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Current[/FONT][FONT=&quot]†[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]New[/FONT][FONT=&quot]†[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Daily Service Charge[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]15.39p[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]26.20p[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]All/Day Units kWh[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]11.176p[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]11.176p[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Gas[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Gas prices[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Current[/FONT][FONT=&quot]†[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]New[/FONT][FONT=&quot]†[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Daily Service Charge[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]24.17p[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]30.69p[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]All/Day Units kWh[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]2.958p[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]3.506p[/FONT]

Devils-Advocate_3

silly_moo wrote: »

I did my excel calculations and SC was always coming out cheaper. What's more, I doubled our usage just to see how the SC/NSC charges would change and it turned out that SC would be up to £50 a year cheaper!

So the numbers have spoken - the more gas and electricity you use, the cheaper it is to be on SC.

For you maybe. But it's not a general/common rule. :cool:

saintscouple

Does anyone where you can get the tariff prices for BT's Essential Tariff, and exactly what the acceptance criteria is?

I used to be with them on that tariff, though when i moved house i changed to SP as I was told by BG that the only way i could stay on the essentials tariff was at my new address to transfer from the energy supplier at that house, to their standard tariff, and then reapply for the essentials tariff.

Now that seemed a lot of hard work to just to remain on the tariff i was on, so went elsewhere.
There is also the factor, where if i switch to BG basic tariff, and get turned down for the essential tariff because of a change in criteria, I would be stuck on an expensive tariff.

I'm also looking at EDF's fixed 2014, but am holding back till i get comms from SP that the exit fee on my current OES12 will be waivered.

Premier_2

silly_moo wrote: »

I did my excel calculations and SC was always coming out cheaper. What's more, I doubled our usage just to see how the SC/NSC charges would change and it turned out that SC would be up to £50 a year cheaper!

So the numbers have spoken - the more gas and electricity you use, the cheaper it is to be on SC.

I fear you may be suffering from GIGO

Which supplier & tariff & region are you comparing for SC & NSC, and at what usage is your speadsheet suggesting you ever save money with the SC version?

Premier_2

saintscouple wrote: »

Does anyone where you can get the tariff prices for BT's Essential Tariff, and exactly what the acceptance criteria is?

I used to be with them on that tariff, though when i moved house i changed to SP as I was told by BG that the only way i could stay on the essentials tariff was at my new address to transfer from the energy supplier at that house, to their standard tariff, and then reapply for the essentials tariff.

Now that seemed a lot of hard work to just to remain on the tariff i was on, so went elsewhere.
There is also the factor, where if i switch to BG basic tariff, and get turned down for the essential tariff because of a change in criteria, I would be stuck on an expensive tariff.

....

BG essential tariff is their social tariff. You would need to contact BG direct to see what prices they charge.
I think their terms of acceptance changed some time ago, so the fact you were accepted previously does not imply you would be accepted now even if your circumstances remain the same.
Best to call them and discuss the options available.
SP presumably have a social tariff too - you may want to start there? Note that acceptance criteria for social tariffs is different by supplier too.

Devils-Advocate_3

Essentials Tariff Criteria

Must be either over 70, and/or in receipt of disability living allowance

AND in receipt of one of these benefits:

carers allowance, child tax credit, pension credit, housing beneift, council tax benefit, income support, income based JSA, working tax credit

AND

have an annual househould income of less than £15,000

Premier_2

silly_moo wrote: »

Here's what I found out - maybe someone will find this useful. I hope I haven't made any mistakes.

Our electricity usage 2,187 kWh & gas usage 12,442 kWh

Current tariff - OES 10 - £639.59
OES 10 if we don't switch - £868.71

SP Capped June 13 NSC - £819.15
SP Capped June 13 SC - £814.03

SP Platinum Fixed Jan 14 NSC - £931.00
SP Platinum Fixed Jan 14 SC - £923.14

SP Unifi Capped Nov 13 NSC - £859.04
SP Unifi Capped Nov 13 SC - £852.97

EDF Fixed Sep 12 SC - £795.93

EDF Fixed Mar 14 SC - £824.41

EON Fixed Jun 13 NSC - £949.88

British Gas Fixed Jun 12 NSC - £962.23

This comparison excludes any discounts for DD payments and dual fuel. All prices are excluding VAT.

I think you have made a mistake

Taking the unifi tariff as an example, and just looking at electric for region 18 (scottish power region)

SC rate is 30.06p per day and 12.235p per unit
NSC rate is 24.424p tier 1 (initial 900kWh per year) and 12.235p thereafter
(all vat inclusive)
Note how tier 2 unit price is identical to the SC unit price

Lets assume you use the full quantity of tier 1 units - 900kWh
The "premium" of tier 1 units is 24.424p-12.235p=12.007p

900kWh (the maximum) of "premium" charge is 12.007p x 900 = £108.06

Alternatively with SC, you pay 360 (thats how many days SP think are in a year!) x 30.06p = £108.21

i.e. effectively the same (and probably would be after roundings are excluded)

As all other parts of the traiff (e.g. discounts, etc) are common, how can SC ever be cheaper than NSC??? :huh:
NSC would be cheaper than SC if you use less than 225kWh (900kwh/year) in any one quarter, as you will avoid paying some of the "premium" which is, in effect, the standing charge distributed over tier 1 units.

(You can do a similar comparison for gas)

elektra

saintscouple wrote: »

Does anyone where you can get the tariff prices for BT's Essential Tariff, and exactly what the acceptance criteria is?

Gas prices are
Tier 1 4.737 , Tier 2 2.873
Rates are in pence per KWh and include VAT

Elec depends on your area , if you PM me your area I may be able to tell you prices next week

jingleberry

For those who mare 'locked in' to a contract with Scottish Power, but wish to move elsewhere, here is some welcome good news. I've just received an email from SP notifying me of then price rise. It includes the following:
*If you notify us that you wish to cancel your agreement before 1st August 2011 and we receive a request for your supply from another supplier within 15 working days, we will not apply the price increase or the cancellation fee for your product. If you have an outstanding debt, we may object to your supply leaving us, but we will give you time to pay the debt and leave us without incurring the increased prices.