solar 2012

Martyn1981

James, call me a cynic, but I suspect there are so many tariffs now just to make life too complicated for most to change.

The tariff you quote is odd, as hardly anybody (even with PV) would benefit from no SC?

This is probably going to sound odd, but I find the UK pricing strange. It seems to 'benefit' those that use more electric. I appreciate that tier 1 prices are designed to get back the missing SC, but really ...... Use more and the price per unit goes down. What sort of lesson is that for the kids?

Does anyone remember back when BT offered a low user rebate. The less you used the phone, the more they reduced your bill. Yes I'm sad and old, but if people benefited from using less leccy, or were penalised for using too much, we would all cut our usage pretty damn quick.

There would of course need to be safety measures in place to protect those that for medical, or location reasons etc, have higher than average consumption. Anyway's going too far off thread now me thinks. Sorry.

M.

grahamc2003

jamesingram wrote: »

So on SSE

standing charge 18.62p /day 11.91/ unit
No SC 16.29p / unit for first 364 units/quarter then 11.91p .

1 years standing charge 365*18.62p = £67.96

for no SC :
18.62-11.91 = 6.71p is the difference in the cost of the expensive units.

6.71 x 364 x 4 = £97.70 so £29.74 worst of on no SC

does that sound right ?

It doesn't sound correct to me. I think your source data may be wrong - are you certain the charges are as you have written, and are the tariffs the same tariff with just the standing charge/tiered charges difference?

Every tariff I've seen (tbc, that's not the same as 'every tariff') works out exactly the same for most users - i.e. the daily standing charge is the equivalent as the tier one price on the number of units it applies to. Unless your supplier has simply cocked up, or changed its policy. It's likely the charges are the same due to regulatory reasons, imv.

The only gainers of a tiered structure are those who don't reach the tier 1 boundary - and I bet there aren't many of those apart from second home owners, or possibly panel owners who only use electricity when their panels generate it, and not much more).

Just to be ultra clear, I'm saying it (probably) doesn't matter which tariff option most people go for (tiered or sc) the price will be the same. Prices will be different for different tariffs though (obvious I know, but unfortunately needs stating).

Dave_Fowler

jamesingram wrote: »

So on SSE

standing charge 18.62p /day 11.91/ unit
No SC 16.29p / unit for first 364 units/quarter then 11.91p .

1 years standing charge 365*18.62p = £67.96

for no SC :
18.62-11.91 = 6.71p is the difference in the cost of the expensive units.

6.71 x 364 x 4 = £97.70 so £29.74 worst of on no SC

does that sound right ?

I think maths is a little flawed.

The no standing charge difference in tier 1 prices is 16.29p-11.91p not 18.62p-11.91p you used in your calculation.

16.29p-11.91p=4.38p

4.38p*4*364=£63.77 which is much closer to the £67.96

I must admit though I it the only tariff where I've found such a large difference between SC and NSC once all the tier 1 units are used.

Dave F

jamesingram

Dave , yes your right , so difference of £4.19 still worse off on no SC ,
Graham , i'll check figures again.
I'm sure they have all these various tariffs just to befuddle people into apathy.
I used, energyhelpline years ago when Mr MSE was on Jeremry Vin show, changed a few times , then got feed up with customer service so went for SSE ( also when ISA rate dropped I brought a couple of SSE shares , so thought I might as well buy from my own company )

Martyn1981

jamesingram wrote: »

Dave , yes your right , so difference of £4.19 still worse off on no SC ,
Graham , i'll check figures again.
I'm sure they have all these various tariffs just to befuddle people into apathy.
I used, energyhelpline years ago when Mr MSE was on Jeremry Vin show, changed a few times , then got feed up with customer service so went for SSE ( also when ISA rate dropped I brought a couple of SSE shares , so thought I might as well buy from my own company )

James, just number playing, but if consumption is low enough, then PV in the summer may knock some consumption off tier 1 prices, and save a few pounds, but there are a few problems;

Consumption would have to be low to start with, and crucially, the quarterly spread of the months. If May, June and July, then might save a little. But I suspect Apr, May and June, then July, August and September. So in each qtr a lower month Apr / Sept to re-address the balance. Oh well, it was just a thought.

You never know the companies may add another tariff for PV (bringing the total to around 20,000?).

Mart.