BBC article on regional standing charge differences

wild666

Chrysalis said:

AcerBen said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60878314

The BBC are making a fuss over big differences in the jump in standing charges depending on where you live.  But have they oversimplified things by not also pointing out that the unit rates also differ?  Surely the price cap of £1,971 still applies?

I did some calculations based on Octopus' new rates as an example:

London: 10kWh @ 29.63p/kWh = £2.96 + 31.88p sc = £3.28

Midlands: 10kWh @ 27.86p/kWh = £2.79 + 47.86p sc = £3.27

so whilst the Midlands will pay a much bigger standing charge, an average user (10kWh) a day will pay about the same because the unit rate is lower.

So are they wrong to be making a big deal out of it, or am I missing something?

What you missing is not everyone uses 10KwH a day.

You oversimplified not the BBC.

If you use less then the higher standing charge is a big deal, if you a heavy user not so much

2 KwH @ 29.63p = 59.26p + 31.88p = 91.14p a day.
2 KwH @ 27.86p = 55.72p + 47.86p = 103.58p a day.

We not all average users.  

--edited-- sorry bad maths on original post.

If I remember right this is the SVT, whilst the fixed deal I checked offered to me 3-4 weeks back was much lower standing charges, but also much higher unit price.

I'm a low user using between 4 kWh most days and around 9 kWh on one day so after the increase most days I will use £1.50 and one day of £3 around £12 per week on electric and around £2.80 on gas. After my supplier went under I started turning everything not in use off at the socket and reduced my yearly electric consumption down from 2000 kWh to just 1300 kWh and the gas down from 1800 kWh to 1100 kWh a £51 saving on gas and  £198 on the electric