Learning to walk before I run

teapot2

Bit late to the litter debate but another vote for Cat's Best Original, I get bags delivered from Zoo Plus, lasts for ages and keeps the pong down successfully.

South_coast

edinburgher said:

Now I don't really do politics in a public-ish forum, but did anyone else thing today's announcement re. the cost of living crisis was the dampest of squibs?

I think it depends. If you are in a small household with small bills it will definitely make a difference. My council are currently consulting on a 1.99% increase this year, which for me would equate to about £20 extra per year (Band A property, with a 25% single occupancy discount). A £150 credit will therefore see me a lot better off. £200 towards my electric bill would currently cover about 75% of it (I'm on a fix until May, although under no illusions it will stay anything like the current cost!) So for me it's going to be useful.

However, I do feel it should have been more targeted, rather than being applied to every household regardless of circumstances. My own situation means I can clearly absorb the cost increases and don't need the help, so I'm likely to put more money to charity as I wouldn't feel comfortable profiting from measures which have been brought in to help people that are struggling and I'm unable to opt out of

edinburgher

@South_coast - you spend £265/year on electricity?!! 

But agreed - MF singletons on Band A probably make up a very small part of the UK population 

themadvix

I confess I had completely missed yesterday's announcement, so thanks Ed for pointing it out. 

I agree with SC that it seems somewhat ridiculous to give it to (nearly) all, when clearly some are going to be struggling more than others (also very glad I didn't move to the extremely draughty and damp GII listed property in the F council tax band - the owners of such properties will need the help more than most and won't be getting it!). Also rather peeved to discover that we're being forced to take on debt - where's the option to *not* do that? 

Baileys_Babe

I too would like to opt out of the loan.

greenbee

themadvix said:

Also rather peeved to discover that we're being forced to take on debt - where's the option to *not* do that? 

That’s what I wanted to know too..

South_coast

edinburgher said:

@South_coast - you spend £265/year on electricity?!! 

Sorry Ed 🤣!

It does mean that proportionally it's going to be a whopping increase when the fix comes to an end - likely well over 100%, even though the actual increase will be in the tens rather than the hundreds. Going on to the price cap would be a nonsense for me, so I'm going to be looking at another fix

Tartan_Mum

@South_coast - wow!! I'm on about 200 on gas and electric a month. 

I would also love to know about not taking on this loan. I feel like I missed something with this whole thing... it doesn't make sense to me 

badmemory

I do not want a loan to pay my energy bill.  Why would I want a loan that will need repaying when the energy bills are likely to be even higher?  I do not want to be forced into taking a loan when the only money I have ever borrowed in my life is my mortgage.  The whole £350 will only pay just over a month DD anyway (come April).  My objections aside, when so many people have such massive debts, what sort of government actually adds to them?  Could it be that they actually like us to be in debt, that way we have to keep working at minimum wage because we daren't risk losing that.  Can you hear my teeth grinding?

Karmacat

The loan is crazy, isn't it - and think of the extra admin costs involved too.  To me, there's so many sticking plaster decisions like this, it would actually be much simpler to fix the original problem .. though ... no, I'd better not write what I thought there