Sheltered housing and the energy discount.

whattochoose

I live in sheltered housing (Anchor) and charges for heating and hot water are included in the rent I pay.
Charges for electricity I pay separately, to an energy supplier chosen by me.
Is anybody else is in a similar position to me?
I'm just wondering how this impacts the energy discount of £400 we've all been promised?

luvchocolate

If I heard it correctly the £400 will be credited to customers electricity account 

Browntoa

My mum is in a similar anchor home 

She already has the £150 credit which actually will cover all her years electricity use 

Sterlingtimes

My mother lives in sheltered housing and pays a service charge that includes the heating of the common parts and the common laundry facility. She pays for her own heating and hot water. 

Whether the energy is paid for via rent, via service charge or to the electricity company directly, it still has to be paid for. Presumably, the rents and service charges will increase. The benefit of payment to the electricity account or to the pensioner directly seems very much in order.

molerat

Anyone who has a domestic electricity account with a supplier - their own billed account - will get the £400 credited to that account irrespective of where they live or how their heating,or any other services, is provided or paid for.

whattochoose

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-living-support/cost-of-living-support-factsheet-26-may-2022?fbclid=IwAR3G2aQ3DKdV3cHenu9YO4UwdFDR-8fxFQRcxyT0irqWGYab6Sam_2nJa0Q

whattochoose

Leaflet popped through my door regarding anticipated charges from April 2023 for gas and electricity, for Anchor sheltered housing tenants in my accommodation block.

According to Anchor, present charges are -
Gas 2.11p/kWh
Electricity 14.64p/kWh

From April 2023, prices are set to be -
Gas 10p/kWh
Electricity 34p/kWh

Anchor state that "the rationale for using the (above) figures to set budgets is that this is a price set independently by Ofgem".

Looking at the new prices is quite sobering and worrying, I think, especially the new price for gas. 

SiliconChip

whattochoose said:

Leaflet popped through my door regarding anticipated charges from April 2023 for gas and electricity, for Anchor sheltered housing tenants in my accommodation block.

According to Anchor, present charges are -
Gas 2.11p/kWh
Electricity 14.64p/kWh

From April 2023, prices are set to be -
Gas 10p/kWh
Electricity 34p/kWh

Anchor state that "the rationale for using the (above) figures to set budgets is that this is a price set independently by Ofgem".

Looking at the new prices is quite sobering and worrying, I think, especially the new price for gas. 

Anchor are being economical with the truth as Ofgem have not yet set prices for April 2023. Even the great and mighty Martin Lewis was unable to give any idea of what the figures might be on his ITV show on Monday evening.

QrizB

SiliconChip said:

Anchor are being economical with the truth as Ofgem have not yet set prices for April 2023. Even the great and mighty Martin Lewis was unable to give any idea of what the figures might be on his ITV show on Monday evening.

... although the April 2023 prices are unlikely to be any cheaper than the ones quoted, which are the current EPG cap values. (Ofgem's current prices are closer to 15p/kWh for gas and 52p/kWh for electricity.)

whattochoose

The things that's worrying me most is the possible increase in gas from 2.11p/kWh to 10p/kWh. 
I calculate that's about a 474% increase!   

Manchesterlodger

Just done a search here on sheltered housing and the energy charge and this thread came up. Just wondering whether any sheltered housing residents have had notice of a massive hike in the energy charge? Am particularly interested in residents where the building is heated by a communal boiler as I was advised by Citizens Advice recently that tenants in these situations have no protection against the level of increase in the energy charge that the housing association choose to stipulate. Also, generally, as I understand it, tenants housing benefit does not cover the energy charge either. 


I live in sheltered housing flat with a communal boiler. Have just been informed that the energy charge is being increased from April 2023 by £35 a week. To say it's been a shock is a slight understatement. Citizens Advice have advised me to contact my local councillor and MP as tenants in my situation are not protected in terms of the level of price increase. 


I looked online and saw that this situation has already impacted some residents in Bolton: https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/23258111.bolton-home-residents-hit-dramatic-energy-bill-hike/


In the situation I'm in, the communal boiler is old and has a history of breaking down regularly - so tenants are probably paying over the odds for energy to begin with due to the inefficiency of the boiler. Service engineers have come out to fix it have often commented that the boiler needs replacing. The housing association, to date, has chosen not to do replace it. 


Many people who live in sheltered housing have very low incomes and I've been told informally that many tenants have indicated that they cannot afford the increase. I'm not quite sure what to do beyond taking the issue to my local councillor and MP. 


Just thought I would post this here to highlight the issue - and if anyone has any other links to organisations that can help/suggestions, do post. Thanks.