standing charges

MikeJXE

DE_612183 said:

MikeJXE said:

Krakkkers said:

It seems on this board that standing charges are a good thing but i also see it as a dis incentive to cutting back.

You are so right. I'm a low user too. If energy companies can't get you one way they will get you another

It's not about "getting you" - It's about paying for the infrastructure that enables you to switch a switch and alight comes on - if you don't pay standing charges - how do you think money will be available to maintain the pylons and carry out repairs to all the cables etc?

So pray tell me how much has standing charged increased in comparison to other industries or inflation ? 

jimjames

Krakkkers said:

It seems on this board that standing charges are a good thing but i also see it as a dis incentive to cutting back.

Why is it a disincentive? You cut your use your bill will go down until it's only standing charges and you can then cut them out by cancelling completely.

Astria

Krakkkers said:

It seems on this board that standing charges are a good thing but i also see it as a dis incentive to cutting back.

Please explain.

Your bill is a fixed amount + whatever you use. So your bill will be lower the less you use.

How is that not an incentive to cut back?

EssexHebridean

MikeJXE said:

DE_612183 said:

MikeJXE said:

Krakkkers said:

It seems on this board that standing charges are a good thing but i also see it as a dis incentive to cutting back.

You are so right. I'm a low user too. If energy companies can't get you one way they will get you another

It's not about "getting you" - It's about paying for the infrastructure that enables you to switch a switch and alight comes on - if you don't pay standing charges - how do you think money will be available to maintain the pylons and carry out repairs to all the cables etc?

So pray tell me how much has standing charged increased in comparison to other industries or inflation ? 

The gas standing charge has increased by around £20 per year  since May 2018 I believe.
The electricity standing charge has increased more sharply - by around £98per year over that time period I think - but the reasons for a lot of this increase have been well documented here and elsewhere - and a good chunk of it is to do with the failed suppliers and the SOLR process. Realistically though anyone who's been active here for any amount of time already knows this. 

Mstty

Hello and welcome to the forum and your first post.

Sorry to here you are struggling, there are a lot of posts about standing charges and unfortunately no way round them at all

MikeJXE

EssexHebridean said:

MikeJXE said:

DE_612183 said:

MikeJXE said:

Krakkkers said:

It seems on this board that standing charges are a good thing but i also see it as a dis incentive to cutting back.

You are so right. I'm a low user too. If energy companies can't get you one way they will get you another

It's not about "getting you" - It's about paying for the infrastructure that enables you to switch a switch and alight comes on - if you don't pay standing charges - how do you think money will be available to maintain the pylons and carry out repairs to all the cables etc?

So pray tell me how much has standing charged increased in comparison to other industries or inflation ? 

The gas standing charge has increased by around £20 per year  since May 2018 I believe.
The electricity standing charge has increased more sharply - by around £98per year over that time period I think - but the reasons for a lot of this increase have been well documented here and elsewhere - and a good chunk of it is to do with the failed suppliers and the SOLR process. Realistically though anyone who's been active here for any amount of time already knows this. 

Is that a quote or a guess, going back a few years makes it look less of an increase 

I believe which is nearer the mark

Standing charges have gone up over 50% in the last year and I can't imagine maintenance cost have gone up that much or we would have huge increases in Telephone and broadband services. 

My broadband is less now than it was 2 years ago 

Brie

The problem is that we see the standing charge separate from the use charge.  That's what makes it different from most other things we purchase.  Yes, everything that is purchased has a charge for infrastructure/delivery/etc as well as the actual product but we just don't notice as it's built into the cost.  

So if I go to Tescos to buy a tin of beans it will cost £1 (or whatever) and in that is the cost of the beans, the tin and getting it to the shop and on the shelf and staff to dust around it and take my money when I want to buy a tin of beans.  There's more infrastructure attached the more beans I buy.  But if I'm on a reduced income and can't afford a tin of beans every day I can cut my use and therefore pay for less infrastructure.  If I just buy a tin every other day rather than every day my "standing charges" are also reduced by 1 half.  

diystarter7

Hi

Standing charges vary area to area and reasons behind this

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

EssexHebridean

MikeJXE said:

EssexHebridean said:

MikeJXE said:

DE_612183 said:

MikeJXE said:

Krakkkers said:

It seems on this board that standing charges are a good thing but i also see it as a dis incentive to cutting back.

You are so right. I'm a low user too. If energy companies can't get you one way they will get you another

It's not about "getting you" - It's about paying for the infrastructure that enables you to switch a switch and alight comes on - if you don't pay standing charges - how do you think money will be available to maintain the pylons and carry out repairs to all the cables etc?

So pray tell me how much has standing charged increased in comparison to other industries or inflation ? 

The gas standing charge has increased by around £20 per year  since May 2018 I believe.
The electricity standing charge has increased more sharply - by around £98per year over that time period I think - but the reasons for a lot of this increase have been well documented here and elsewhere - and a good chunk of it is to do with the failed suppliers and the SOLR process. Realistically though anyone who's been active here for any amount of time already knows this. 

Is that a quote or a guess, going back a few years makes it look less of an increase 

I believe which is nearer the mark

Standing charges have gone up over 50% in the last year and I can't imagine maintenance cost have gone up that much or we would have huge increases in Telephone and broadband services. 

My broadband is less now than it was 2 years ago 

Sorry - not clear what you mean as I’ve not quoted anything?

The 2018 SC figures I used to calculate the increases are correct so far as I know - perhaps you have something that tells you differently?

km1500

You don't pay a standing charge plus pence-per-litre to fill up you car, and I am sure Shell have infrastructure charges too.

Ditto Tesco for food as posted above.

It seems like energy is unique in charging you this way. Oh sooy, landlines have 'line rental' - luckily mobiles came along so you just pay per call (or buy a bundle, or pay for a  monthly bundle)