Energy news in general

Mstty

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

I don't subscribe to any more help this winter. I think energy customers need a big shock, reduce their energy usage and then some target help next year for winter if gas futures are still this high or higher.

I guess someone on dialysis can go to the hospital and disrupt their life.
Not sure how it works for those on oxygen machines
or my elderly dad who's just got over cancer from not having the heating on.

having said that he does get quite a lot of help being a disabled pensioner, but there will be people for whose circumstances that could be interpreted as pretty heartless.
You can't reduce your energy needs for essential health devices or in some case heating for the elderly or unhealthy.

If it gets really cold of there is a power cut I'll be bring my Dad to my house, but I guess not everyone will have that option.

Oh please, we can all come up with a fringe issue and this is down to poorly targeted help which has been rightly in the press and media and does need attention.

I am sorry for anyone in your family that may be in these fringe situations but in most cases my point stands in my opinion. 

ok, take you point.
I don't think being elderly or disabled are "fringe" issues.

It got me googling

For dialysis 

https://www.kidneycareuk.org/about-kidney-health/living-kidney-disease/keeping-well-home/

Elderly is different but they are getting a lot of financial support this winter.

Disabled, I believe the system is broken and that a lot of people are missing out on badly needed financial help. But to blame everything on energy costs for a broken system is wrong.

I do believe the money being dished out this winter was fair and a lot of money in most cases.

SJMALBA

Mstty said:

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

I don't subscribe to any more help this winter. I think energy customers need a big shock, reduce their energy usage and then some target help next year for winter if gas futures are still this high or higher.

I guess someone on dialysis can go to the hospital and disrupt their life.
Not sure how it works for those on oxygen machines
or my elderly dad who's just got over cancer from not having the heating on.

having said that he does get quite a lot of help being a disabled pensioner, but there will be people for whose circumstances that could be interpreted as pretty heartless.
You can't reduce your energy needs for essential health devices or in some case heating for the elderly or unhealthy.

If it gets really cold of there is a power cut I'll be bring my Dad to my house, but I guess not everyone will have that option.

Oh please, we can all come up with a fringe issue and this is down to poorly targeted help which has been rightly in the press and media and does need attention.

I am sorry for anyone in your family that may be in these fringe situations but in most cases my point stands in my opinion. 

ok, take you point.
I don't think being elderly or disabled are "fringe" issues.

It got me googling

For dialysis 

https://www.kidneycareuk.org/about-kidney-health/living-kidney-disease/keeping-well-home/

Elderly is different but they are getting a lot of financial support this winter.

Disabled, I believe the system is broken and that a lot of people are missing out on badly needed financial help. But to blame everything on energy costs for a broken system is wrong.

I do believe the money being dished out this winter was fair and a lot of money in most cases.

The money 'being dished out' was in respect of Ofgem's guesstimate for October's so-called Price Cap of £2800; as we already know, this will be well off the mark.

si_74

What_time_is_it said:

si_74 said:

What_time_is_it said:

Whilst I agree generally about lowering usage, it's not always that simple.

My mother-in-law lives on her own and currently uses 60,000 kwhs of gas per year. She won't move house and the place is literally falling apart.
I can't sleep at night worrying about how we are going to cover this. If unit prices hit 20p for winter 2023/24, which doesn't seem that unlikely to be honest, then that'll be £12k just on gas usage over one year.

I had a similar situation with my mum, though her usage is nowhere near that level (about 19000 kwh). She thought she was ok as she was consistently just in credit which is no good with the winter still ahead of us and the upcoming prices. Finally I managed to get through to her though. Doing nothing at your mother in laws level of usage is probably not an option. I had to use some pretty frank conversations to finally get my mum to understand where this was headed but, to get a philosophical, I rationalised it in my mind by seeing it as the circle of life. She looked after me until I could look after myself, now it's payback time and just like she used to have to be strict with me sometimes, so do I with her now. I didn't like almost having to frighten her into doing something, but it was absolutely in her best interests.

I agree. I really do. But I honestly don't know where to start.
Moving home would be massively traumatic for her. Plus her house is so full of hoarded stuff (despite my best efforts over the years in throwing stuff out and selling things!) that it would be a seriously daunting task. 
So she stays where she is and where she is happy. But it's falling apart and costs a fortune - more than her income!
We are trying to replace the boiler, but things like insulation and double glazing are totally unaffordable too. 
I'm at my wits end.

It's really difficult for sure. I am no financial advisor, and obviously don't know all of your circumstances. But a member of my family recently did an equity release from their property to pay for home improvements, perhaps you could look into this for your mother in law to see if it is suitable and then use the funds to upgrade, the boiler, windows, insulation etc? Basically the equity company takes a percentage of the house, the occupant lives there for the length of their lives without paying that loan back, it is then paid back when the time comes and the property is sold.

What_time_is_it

That's a possibility thanks.
Realistically, the house need knocking down. Updating would cost tens of thousands. It has had pretty much no maintenance work or decorating done on it. The boiler is at least 40 years old, everything leaks, there are mice, and it's full of hoarded stuff.
Getting on top of it would be a full time job.

lisyloo

si_74 said:

What_time_is_it said:

si_74 said:

What_time_is_it said:

Whilst I agree generally about lowering usage, it's not always that simple.

My mother-in-law lives on her own and currently uses 60,000 kwhs of gas per year. She won't move house and the place is literally falling apart.
I can't sleep at night worrying about how we are going to cover this. If unit prices hit 20p for winter 2023/24, which doesn't seem that unlikely to be honest, then that'll be £12k just on gas usage over one year.

I had a similar situation with my mum, though her usage is nowhere near that level (about 19000 kwh). She thought she was ok as she was consistently just in credit which is no good with the winter still ahead of us and the upcoming prices. Finally I managed to get through to her though. Doing nothing at your mother in laws level of usage is probably not an option. I had to use some pretty frank conversations to finally get my mum to understand where this was headed but, to get a philosophical, I rationalised it in my mind by seeing it as the circle of life. She looked after me until I could look after myself, now it's payback time and just like she used to have to be strict with me sometimes, so do I with her now. I didn't like almost having to frighten her into doing something, but it was absolutely in her best interests.

I agree. I really do. But I honestly don't know where to start.
Moving home would be massively traumatic for her. Plus her house is so full of hoarded stuff (despite my best efforts over the years in throwing stuff out and selling things!) that it would be a seriously daunting task. 
So she stays where she is and where she is happy. But it's falling apart and costs a fortune - more than her income!
We are trying to replace the boiler, but things like insulation and double glazing are totally unaffordable too. 
I'm at my wits end.

It's really difficult for sure. I am no financial advisor, and obviously don't know all of your circumstances. But a member of my family recently did an equity release from their property to pay for home improvements, perhaps you could look into this for your mother in law to see if it is suitable and then use the funds to upgrade, the boiler, windows, insulation etc? Basically the equity company takes a percentage of the house, the occupant lives there for the length of their lives without paying that loan back, it is then paid back when the time comes and the property is sold.

I would certainly look at what grants are available to help with improvements.

lisyloo

Mstty said:

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

I don't subscribe to any more help this winter. I think energy customers need a big shock, reduce their energy usage and then some target help next year for winter if gas futures are still this high or higher.

I guess someone on dialysis can go to the hospital and disrupt their life.
Not sure how it works for those on oxygen machines
or my elderly dad who's just got over cancer from not having the heating on.

having said that he does get quite a lot of help being a disabled pensioner, but there will be people for whose circumstances that could be interpreted as pretty heartless.
You can't reduce your energy needs for essential health devices or in some case heating for the elderly or unhealthy.

If it gets really cold of there is a power cut I'll be bring my Dad to my house, but I guess not everyone will have that option.

Oh please, we can all come up with a fringe issue and this is down to poorly targeted help which has been rightly in the press and media and does need attention.

I am sorry for anyone in your family that may be in these fringe situations but in most cases my point stands in my opinion. 

ok, take you point.
I don't think being elderly or disabled are "fringe" issues.

It got me googling

For dialysis 

https://www.kidneycareuk.org/about-kidney-health/living-kidney-disease/keeping-well-home/

Elderly is different but they are getting a lot of financial support this winter.

Disabled, I believe the system is broken and that a lot of people are missing out on badly needed financial help. But to blame everything on energy costs for a broken system is wrong.

I do believe the money being dished out this winter was fair and a lot of money in most cases.

It may have been fair at the time (apart from some fringe groups like park homes etc.)

I'm happy to agree to disagree.
I'm more aligned with Martin's views on this expressed here

Martin Lewis urges more help over 'desperate' energy bills - BBC News

Mstty

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

lisyloo said:

Mstty said:

I don't subscribe to any more help this winter. I think energy customers need a big shock, reduce their energy usage and then some target help next year for winter if gas futures are still this high or higher.

I guess someone on dialysis can go to the hospital and disrupt their life.
Not sure how it works for those on oxygen machines
or my elderly dad who's just got over cancer from not having the heating on.

having said that he does get quite a lot of help being a disabled pensioner, but there will be people for whose circumstances that could be interpreted as pretty heartless.
You can't reduce your energy needs for essential health devices or in some case heating for the elderly or unhealthy.

If it gets really cold of there is a power cut I'll be bring my Dad to my house, but I guess not everyone will have that option.

Oh please, we can all come up with a fringe issue and this is down to poorly targeted help which has been rightly in the press and media and does need attention.

I am sorry for anyone in your family that may be in these fringe situations but in most cases my point stands in my opinion. 

ok, take you point.
I don't think being elderly or disabled are "fringe" issues.

It got me googling

For dialysis 

https://www.kidneycareuk.org/about-kidney-health/living-kidney-disease/keeping-well-home/

Elderly is different but they are getting a lot of financial support this winter.

Disabled, I believe the system is broken and that a lot of people are missing out on badly needed financial help. But to blame everything on energy costs for a broken system is wrong.

I do believe the money being dished out this winter was fair and a lot of money in most cases.

It may have been fair at the time (apart from some fringe groups like park homes etc.)

I'm happy to agree to disagree.
I'm more aligned with Martin's views on this expressed here

Martin Lewis urges more help over 'desperate' energy bills - BBC News

Yep I'm open to difference of opinion.

Having studied economics at University I am somewhat hesitant to ever hand out free cash in this potential run away inflation situation we could find ourselves in.

Hence my stance in enough is enough til next winter.

But yes the cries from Ofgem to the government did state £2800 so maybe that will create wiggle room for a little bit more support 👍

markin

Germany turns off the hot water: Hanover becomes first big city to ban hot water in public buildings in response to Russian gas crisis          

The Germany city of Hanover has become the first big city to ban hot water and central heating in public buildings in response to Vladimir Putin's gas squeeze. 

The drastic step comes as Germans have been told to expect to be hit with higher electricity bills and sweeping gas rationing measures that will affect their day-to-day lives. In a sign of things to come, Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony in the north west of the country, will cut off the hot water in public buildings, swimming pools, sports halls and gyms. 

Other desperate gas-saving measures include switching off public fountains and blacking out night-time lights on major buildings such as the town hall and museums. 

The city's mayor, Belit Onay, spoke of an 'imminent gas shortage' that meant they had to reduce the city's energy consumption by 15 per cent. The plans call for shutting off heating within public buildings between April and September each year, and thermostats at just 20C (68F) for the rest of the year.         

GingerTim

Coming here soon, too. The university where I work usually provides 24-hour access to buildings for staff, but is shutting most of them down in the evening during the week, and entirely at the weekend, to save money on energy costs.

brewerdave

GingerTim said:

Coming here soon, too. The university where I work usually provides 24-hour access to buildings for staff, but is shutting most of them down in the evening during the week, and entirely at the weekend, to save money on energy costs.

Suspect that most local Councils will take a similar approach for their public buildings eg libraries - so those who suggested going to keep warm in the Winter in local public buildings ,are going to be sadly disappointed.