MSE News: Households to get £400 boost to help with rising energy bills

Misslayed

GaleSF63 said:

superkoopauk said:

It's a big improvement on the previous proposal.  I would still like the option for the well off to refuse the £400 which could then be redistributed among the most in need perhaps at the start of next year?

The kind of people who would refuse the payment are the kind who would hopefully donate it. Some will anyway. 

Ours is going to young relatives who are the 'wrong kind of poor'. 

GingerTim

GaleSF63 said:

superkoopauk said:

It's a big improvement on the previous proposal.  I would still like the option for the well off to refuse the £400 which could then be redistributed among the most in need perhaps at the start of next year?

The kind of people who would refuse the payment are the kind who would hopefully donate it. Some will anyway. 

One for the local foodbank.

Ultrasonic

stamford5957 said:

Is there a time limit as to when this rebate will stay on your account as at the moment as a single person living in rented accommodation for the next 10 months whilst I find a house to buy...my monthly electric bills have been £42 and sometimes less.

The information that we have suggests it will act just like any normal account credit rather than having some sort of time limit.

Your question highlights one of many flaws in the blanket '£400 to everyone' part of today's announcement that my gut reaction is that I wish wasn't happening. It's going to result in a lot of money being given to people who don't need it. I suppose the counter-argument is it will catch those who do, and at least the better off who get it will ultimately end up paying back more to cover it via taxation. The burden on the public finances may also adversely affect public sector pay though.

What I'm pleased to see is the more targeted help for those who most need it.

MSE_James

Martin will be doing an online Q&A with the Chancellor at 5.30pm here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj3g7BGK1V8 

CLMK99

We have an oil tank.
We just filled it up, should last just over a year but the cost went up by £500, to £700 so we had to take out a loan.

Our electricity payments are cheap. We aren't worried about those, so are we going to be £400 in credit with our electricity supplier or is there any way we can get that money to put back on the loan we needed to take out to run the house for a year?

GingerTim

Ultrasonic said:

stamford5957 said:

Is there a time limit as to when this rebate will stay on your account as at the moment as a single person living in rented accommodation for the next 10 months whilst I find a house to buy...my monthly electric bills have been £42 and sometimes less.

The information that we have suggests it will act just like any normal account credit rather than having some sort of time limit.

Your question highlights one of many flaws in the blanket '£400 to everyone' part of today's announcement that my gut reaction is that I wish wasn't happening. It's going to result in a lot of money being given to people who don't need it. I suppose the counter-argument is it will catch those who do, and at least the better off who get it will ultimately end up paying back more to cover it via taxation. The burden on the public finances may also adversely affect public sector pay though.

What I'm pleased to see is the more targeted help for those who most need it.

I expect it's one of those situations where the bureaucracy of trying to means-test it makes the whole scheme more expensive than a blanket payment - but yes, far from ideal.

MattMattMattUK

Ultrasonic said:

stamford5957 said:

Is there a time limit as to when this rebate will stay on your account as at the moment as a single person living in rented accommodation for the next 10 months whilst I find a house to buy...my monthly electric bills have been £42 and sometimes less.

The information that we have suggests it will act just like any normal account credit rather than having some sort of time limit.

Your question highlights one of many flaws in the blanket '£400 to everyone' part of today's announcement that my gut reaction is that I wish wasn't happening. It's going to result in a lot of money being given to people who don't need it. I suppose the counter-argument is it will catch those who do, and at least the better off who get it will ultimately end up paying back more to cover it via taxation. The burden on the public finances may also adversely affect public sector pay though.

What I'm pleased to see is the more targeted help for those who most need it.

I largely agree, it seems to make little sense to make me pay £20k on my dividends and give me £400 back. The £400 component of this is probably the least required part and reasonably should not exist, but I think the reason it exists is a political sweetener and electoral bribe rather than any genuine reason. 

tebbutt39

if electricity is suppled to each resident by site owner who purchases it from British Gas how does each resident on Park Home site get their £400?

TobyRussell

Is there any way this payment onto our energy accounts is going to prevent owners of second homes receiving an additional £400? It seems pretty unfair that wealthier people who can afford holiday homes should get additional money they almost certainly don't need (or at least not need to the same extent as everyone else)

wolvoman

TobyRussell said:

Is there any way this payment onto our energy accounts is going to prevent owners of second homes receiving an additional £400? It seems pretty unfair that wealthier people who can afford holiday homes should get additional money they almost certainly don't need (or at least not need to the same extent as everyone else)

There probably is a way, but would likely cost more than the £400 it would save.

In any case, the focus of these measures is surely to help those who need it, not punish those who don't.