Energy news in general

barker77

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82048107#Comment_82048107

it’s going to be true that policies don’t get stuff right all the time. Whats massively clear from thr heatwave outcomes is that burning more fossil fuels to save money now, will definitely result in more dead people.

Chrysalis

Fixed direct debit is a large contributor to consumer energy debt, but no one wants to touch it due to political implications.
It far too easy for a billpayer to set DD to an affordable level to them, and then just ignore their actual bills and usage, interest free debt (usually also not on credit file) builds up slowly, can is kicked down the road, and eventually a debt relief scheme gives them a reset,
Also anything government policy related should never had gone on bills in the first place, the electric companies have become tax collectors.

barker77

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82048406#Comment_82048406

as other posters have said these facts aren’t all true. And we are no where near first either

Scot_39

Yes heat can kill, but so can cold.

Before WFA - many reports estimated around 25k died prematurely in UK every winter - at best WFA was estimated to have dropped that by somewhere in the 10-12k pa range.

How many have done so in the last few days in UK - or across even Europe - and its higher temperatures.

10,000s who survive often spend days / weeks in hospital - nearly every winter the NHS comes close to or hits bed capacity limits and/or seek regular repeated GP and other community services treatment - as direct result of not being able to heat their homes and eat properly in winter.

So much so trials - effectively prescribing energy aid - have shown for many - such costs can be significantly reduced or eliminated - and in both UK and abroad - clams the aid more than pays for itself in those other cost savings.

Get used to the simple fact - global warning is just that - global - and the UK domestic total contribution - 0.8% total - is tiny. The 10% - the 0.08% right now for electriciy generation - even more so.

In fact, the official domestic MTCO2e emmissions figure for the UK - when normalised per capita - or rather per million of population - is now actually lower than the global average.

By time get to 95% by 2030 - the initial target set in 2022 - call it 8 years - the revised tighter version in 2024 - 5/6 years - the global popn growing around the 65-70m mark will - not to different from current UK total every year - with added emissions to match - will dwarf any savings.

More so given location and increasing urbanisation of many less developed nations where population growth predicted strongest - just think of emissions from the materials for 10s of millions of new houses, roads and transport etc per year to support those folk

The every little bit helps line some here use - an affront to the poor - the 2m homes in energy debt - the upto 12m energy poor.

Green electricity is an available product - pay the premium for it if you choose.

The tide has turned - the majority want low cost - not net zero - to set UK energy policy - nearly 2/3rd - 63% iirc in a late 2025 poll.

The consensus has gone - many no longer trust the decades of failed promises of "cheap green" electricity - especially when even DESNZ openly have had to admit to PAC - wind especially is more expensive overall than fossil.

barker77

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82048671#Comment_82048671

yeah thats not true either

Ildhund

Energy debt reaches record £4.79bn, an increase of 5% on last quarter.

Ofgem published a presentation about this on social media today. I found this striking:

A third of historic debt has arisen from new occupiers failing to open an account with the supplier. Whose job is it to make sure that this happens? I bet this isn't the case with Council Tax. It sounds just too easy to expect local councils to notify energy and water suppliers of new occupants of property in their bailiwick.

QrizB

A third of historic debt has arisen from new occupiers failing to open an account with the supplier. Whose job is it to make sure that this happens?

Did Ofgem's publication suggest any remedies? I recall there was the idea that new occupiers would start with their smart meters in prepayment mode; is that still on the table?

Ildhund

Of course there's a consultation, apparently still ongoing because I can't see any decision yet:

Tackling Energy Debt in the Supplier Home-Moves Process

1.11 This call for input seeks views from stakeholders on how to enable remote prepayment meter switching in the domestic energy home-moves customer journey. The purpose of this is to develop our evidence base around the risks and potential benefits of making changes in this area and understand how to enable suppliers to act without compromising consumer protections.

It could be up and running by October, say.

Qyburn

I don't think it's outright stated in any official matter but there are definitely people who deliberately avoid making contact with suppliers when they move in. For example from one of the Freeman conspiracy theory groups .

Can anybody advise me on energy providers and debts?
I have lived here as a tenant for 2 years and never set up an account. They have written to me as “the occupier” - I want to switch provider and start again which is what I was advised to do by a debt charity but when I looked online it says I will be blocked from switching because of the debt. Is this accurate if they don’t actually know who lives here? Any advice appreciated

Scot_39

Can't landlords insert gdpr compliant disclosure clauses into rental agreements allowing them to notify the energy companies directly.

To stop the ignore the to "The Occupier" brigade.

And given the general direction recently wouldnt surprise me if forced to or they become liable if that major a problem nationally.

Edit

Something similar could arguably applied to builders and house sellers - making it part of the purchase contract / conveyancing procedure.