What extra support measures or regulations do you expect the government to bring in this winter?

The_Green_Hornet

The government doesn't need to do anything now.

They have until October before the next price cap comes in so plenty of time to splash even more cash if they want to.

njm123

nekr0mantik said:

I don't expect them to do much as they are Tories. I would want the price cap to be re done to be more fair and inject more borrowed money to apply re bates to energy bills. 
Like people have said it's not necessary to pay off the COVID debt right now makes zero sense with current climate so borrow more and ride it out longer as debt levels are not very high compared to historical data 

Debt levels are extremely high compared to historic levels, and that's only the public sector.

I've mentioned before that I think we'll see more targeted help, simply to avoid headlines of the nature "lack of Government help leads to death on (insert vulnerable group)".   Not that I agree that we should be giving out handouts just to pay the bills,  tough though that is.

What I'd like to see if the Government using this money to help with energy reduction measures,  initially by setting up  a proper regulator/agency with teeth to manage the sector, that would ensure everyone in the sector is properly trained, maintains standards and works at a fair price.  With a guarantee that any poor work or overcharging is remedied with cowboy's jailed and stripped of assets.  I know that the Government is poor at that sort of regulation but to be blunt they need to "get good" at it.  Then using any hand outs to do necessary works.  This agency would also be responsible for helping firms develop affordable solutions to getting the housing stock to net zero, whether that's by using Governments bulk buying power to get bulk discounts on heat pumps/solar panels or funding research into new tech with a profit share or discounted supply to the UK if it's successful. 

Then you could start by getting a proper EPC,  by a properly trained and Government regulated person.   Not the half baked things I see here where one (direct) neighbour is a C and the other an E.   The only difference being that one "inspector" assumed insulated cavity walls, the other correctly identified these houses have solid brick walls and no insulation. 

Once you have the proper EPC the Government can then start using targeted grants to pick off the low hanging fruit that reduces energy use.

I suspect initially

- LED bulbs
- Loft Insulation
- Cavity Wall insulation

As these are generally cheap and have a good return on investment, I suspect that the majority of owner occupiers would do them once they see the cost/benefit in black and white.    With either direct Government funding or vouchers to pay an approved supplier to do the work for those who genuinely can't afford it.

Where these are noted as required on an EPC for a rental property, Landlords should be compelled to do the work by law.

Once the majority of the easier measures are complete  the Government should then assess the best way of helping owner occupiers to fix the more difficult issues on the EPC.

For example 

- Solid Wall Insulation
- Solar Panels
- Heat Pump or equivalent

I'm not a fan of grants as they tend to distort the market, the price for a job immediately goes up as the workmen tend to pocket a percentage of the grant whether it's actually available on that job or not.

I'd rather see the Government Bulk Buying the products to supply the trade, and installers having to install at cost plus a regulated hourly rate for each area, this rate would be in a range and would allow for a fair profit and taxes etc.

For those who can't afford the work, directly of via conventional borrowing. I'd like to see regulated financial solutions,  perhaps a mortgage paid back by the savings on energy bills or a form of shared owner ship where the "rent" is paid from the savings.

To measure progress I'd set the new agency an energy use target, which would be based on reducing current energy use,. with allowances made for the shift of energy consumption from petrol/diesel to electric as EV's become more common.

I'd also like to see novel electric / gas tariffs be made available , both for time of use to encourage load shifting and also tariffs that have an energy allowance based on the EPC rating and type of house, set up so the rate is cheaper than the SVT if you stay within the allowance but usage over the allowance is charged at a small premium.

Note the purpose of these tariffs is to manage load and reduce overall consumption.

I might mandate the EPC based tariff as a condition of receiving any Grants to pay for energy reduction, with exemptions for medical need. 

RogerBareford

Max68 said:

Roger - With all due respect if bills are potentially going to hit £300 per month or so for some this winter then the Governments £400 and a £200 odd winter fuel payment may help to an extent but not by much.  £600 could be two months bills!!   We also forget the vulnerable that are on high usage with such needs as medical equipment that may need to be on 24 hours a day for instance.

That's a fair point,  i tend to be a bit squewed in my perception of bills because i have a good sized house with an EPC rating of C and it doesn't use a lot of gas to heat sensibly but there are people who incur much higher costs due to poor house design and/or being home all the time etc.

Re my associate, yes he must have had mental health issues but mental health issues as you say can be brought on by any set of circumstances - anything from grief to stress.  You don't have to start off with mental health issues and if millions are struggling to pay their bills then the stress of that could mean those mental health issues could rise.

I get your point but for many many years before there have been people who haven't been able to pay their bills for one reason or another and they all don't get mental health issues.

I 100% support people who have mental health issues getting just as good treatment as people with physical issues. If the goverment want to put millions into helping people with these issues then i have no problem with that at all. If they want to put millions into helping people with budgeting or money management then that's great also (but i don't believe they would do this effectively).

Any kind of support that directly helps with problems by implementing longer term solutions is the best way forward. Giving people handouts is not a good solution.

Finally, the heat pump guy!  I can't afford a heat pump.  I got a quote a few months ago.  My property isn't suitable for a ground source pump and to install and benefit from an air source pump I would need quite a lot of work done including piping, new radiators and possibly under floor heating. I was quoted upwards of £18,000.  I can't afford a holiday let alone £18,000 and I am sure millions more are in the same boat.  Plus, I do have emergency funds that I budgeted.  Every little bit of extra plus CT rebate and the £400 will push my energy balance to around +£1000, which helps but I certainly don't have £18,000 of extra for that heat pump!

Yes many people won't be able to afford heat pumps (and they might not be right for them anwyay) but i was disputing how reliable a source that guy was on what people can afford now compared to what they can afford in 2025.

Saying you can't afford a holiday but having an emergency fund sounds like you know what your doing when it comes to money. You know what you can and can't afford and know to put money aside, so many people don't know/do these basic things and then when it inevitably all goes wrong they start calling out to the goverment to do something about it.

People need to do the basics first.

Anyway, it's all about opinions and discussion.  Boring old world if we all agreed! 

Exactly! There's nothing better on here when people disagree and have a direct and logical conversation on why they have those opinions.

I hate it when people take being disagreed with as some kind of attack and/or refuse to discuss their opinions.

northernstar007

and ive just had a new combi installed and wanting me to ditch it, yeah right, know much it cost 

Max68

RogerBareford  Very fair points Roger.  See very much where you are coming from.

One of the biggest issues re people budgeting are the exit fees of other utilities and/or memberships.  Knowing what was coming I was looking at cancelling my Sky package for instance and investing in a freeview box.  However my contract is locked in until January and after being on the phone with Sky for a good half an hour and going around in circles it simply worked out cheaper  to stay as I am until end of contract than it was to cancel and have to pay up till end of contract.  At least you got something for it as well!!  I'm sure broadband providers etc can be the same, with BT for one insisting you pay if you want to keep your email address for instance.  See this regularly with energy companies with the exit fees some have.  It does make it harder to cut back in some areas despite good intentions.

Coffeekup

I with the minority on here. People need to learn to cut back on their usage also on other things like holiday's buying clothes/other items/takeaways because they see it as there right.

I think the government have been generous with the help they have already given and are going to give in the coming months.
But them giving £650 in two installments one last month and one in the autumn (whenever that is) was a stupid move, for the following reason.
Prices have gone up in the last 6-12 months, but we've just come through a mild spring and a warm summer so the effects of these summer's usage bills low in £.
It will really hit when people have had their heating on in late November, December and January and in February, and bills come through the door for the 6 month period up to April/May (here's looking at you BG). Unfortunately the two installments of £325+/- will have already been spent on holidays, fobt's, and/or good times.
The £650 should have came in February and April 2023.

I also realize there will be a few that the financial help won't be enough.

Chrysalis

The answer depends if Sunak or Truss is running the country.

Make no mistake Truss is the type to spit on beggars and the like, blames the poor for making their own problems and only seems interested in tax cuts.

Sunak will offer more cost of living payments.  He may also be disconnected, but at least has a little more common sense on the current situation.