Help with rising fuel costs?

Aylesbury_Duck

brian_riches_2 said:

It’s wrong that any government can break into your energy account and force a customer to take a £200 loan . Surly this must be illegal 

Of course it's not illegal.  I'm probably one of the more vocal critics of this shambles of a government, but what they're doing here isn't illegal.  They're not breaking into your energy account or forcing anyone to take a loan.  They're simply phasing your energy payments, which most people do already with 12 equal monthly direct debits.  There are periods of the year where you're underpaying, and periods where you're overpaying.  This is no different, except it's over a longer time period.

If you really object, there's nothing stopping you making a one-off extraordinary payment of £200 to your energy account, so that you're never "borrowing" the money in the first place.  What's stopping you?

Aylesbury_Duck

Pippa12345 said:

Not so easy when on the lowest incomes. I just have the one basic bank account and sometimes things need replacing and currently I do without until the money is there. The £200 wouldn't be sitting there for the five years while the loan is paid off. I'd rather not have the debt. What loan company forces you to take out a loan? Only our current government. 

So make a one-off extraordinary payment of £200 to your energy account in October, so that you're never "borrowing" the money in the first place.  

GingerTim

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Pippa12345 said:

Not so easy when on the lowest incomes. I just have the one basic bank account and sometimes things need replacing and currently I do without until the money is there. The £200 wouldn't be sitting there for the five years while the loan is paid off. I'd rather not have the debt. What loan company forces you to take out a loan? Only our current government. 

So make a one-off extraordinary payment of £200 to your energy account in October, so that you're never "borrowing" the money in the first place.  

You could, but then the electricity standing charge on your bill will increase, like every bill in the country, by £200 over five years from 2023 anyway. Subbing the energy companies is not something I’d recommend!

PennyForThem_2

TBH the £150 non repayable to account holders living in A-D banded council tax houses is incredibly blunt.  I can see why it has been done, though I would much rather those on low incomes/pensions and/or receiving benefits had been targeted specifically.

I agree with many posters that the £200 is an interest free 'loan' to help smooth out the increased cost.  But for those that do not like 'owing for something they did not ask for and cannot decline' I can understand why it is unsettling, especially as each year for 5 years your bills will be £40 more expensive as a result.

PaulDG

These £200 "loans" are going to have lots of stupid consequences.

In October, my household will receive a £200 discount - but if my wife & I separate, or if we had kids at home who leave, the one household becomes many - with each having the £40 a year clawback every year.

Or if two move in together, then 2x £200 becomes just one set of £40 clawbacks.

A lot of winners & losers means millions of disgruntled people!

QrizB

PaulDG said:

A lot of winners & losers means millions of disgruntled people!

Almost everyone will welcome the £200 credit.
Practically no-one will notice the additional 11p/day on their bills.