Martin Lewis: Why are energy standing charges so high? What can be done

[Deleted User]

The operating costs seem very high. Especially for companies that are mostly online only.

Gerry1

[Deleted User] said:

The operating costs seem very high. Especially for companies that are mostly online only.

I rather doubt that your gas and electricity comes down your telephone line or over the air from a cellular tower.

jaceyboy

MattMattMattUK said:

jaceyboy said:

Yes I want to pay less by using less, why should we be penalised by standing charges, its wrong, use more fuel pay more simples

You are not being penalised, you are paying for what you have, a connection to the energy network/grid. 

and I give back to the grid for the companies to sell my electric on?!

QrizB

jaceyboy said:

MattMattMattUK said:

jaceyboy said:

Yes I want to pay less by using less, why should we be penalised by standing charges, its wrong, use more fuel pay more simples

You are not being penalised, you are paying for what you have, a connection to the energy network/grid. 

and I give back to the grid for the companies to sell my electric on?!

If you are giving it back to the grid for free, no-one is selling it on as they don't know it exists.

On the other hand, if you're selling it back to your energy company, what they then do with it is up to them.

jaceyboy

QrizB said:

jaceyboy said:

MattMattMattUK said:

jaceyboy said:

Yes I want to pay less by using less, why should we be penalised by standing charges, its wrong, use more fuel pay more simples

You are not being penalised, you are paying for what you have, a connection to the energy network/grid. 

and I give back to the grid for the companies to sell my electric on?!

If you are giving it back to the grid for free, no-one is selling it on as they don't know it exists.

On the other hand, if you're selling it back to your energy company, what they then do with it is up to them.

Up to them lol? guess what, they sell it to you for more

MattMattMattUK

jaceyboy said:

QrizB said:

jaceyboy said:

MattMattMattUK said:

jaceyboy said:

Yes I want to pay less by using less, why should we be penalised by standing charges, its wrong, use more fuel pay more simples

You are not being penalised, you are paying for what you have, a connection to the energy network/grid. 

and I give back to the grid for the companies to sell my electric on?!

If you are giving it back to the grid for free, no-one is selling it on as they don't know it exists.

On the other hand, if you're selling it back to your energy company, what they then do with it is up to them.

Up to them lol? guess what, they sell it to you for more

You get pretty much the same as energy generators do, the wholesale cost of electricity makes up less than half of the per kWh cost, they are not selling it "for more than you do" in the way you seem to think they do.

Chrysalis

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Good for Shapps.

Lets not give the bandwagon-jumping crusader too much credit for pandering to his target audience.

Shapps isnt pandering to high earners then?

I think I have seen something when someone is trying to claim Martin isnt principled and serious about the energy crisis, every single comment I have seen from him, shows he gets it.

Of course many members of this money saving community are not the most vulnerable hence the lack of universal support.

Anyway just realised a thread got made on it so I apologise to the community, any replies to my above post please put in this thread.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6461010/martin-lewis-grills-energy-secretary-over-support-for-vulnerable-people-this-winter#latest

MattMattMattUK

Chrysalis said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Good for Shapps.

Lets not give the bandwagon-jumping crusader too much credit for pandering to his target audience.

Shapps isnt pandering to high earners then?

I think I have seen something when someone is trying to claim Martin isnt principled and serious about the energy crisis, every single comment I have seen from him, shows he gets it.

Of course many members of this money saving community are not the most vulnerable hence the lack of universal support.

Anyway just realised a thread got made on it so I apologise to the community, any replies to my above post please put in this thread.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6461010/martin-lewis-grills-energy-secretary-over-support-for-vulnerable-people-this-winter#latest

I think Lewis is principled, but I am not sure his seriousness about energy prices reflect a rational position. He keeps calling for a scattergun approach of multiple policies, multiple types of handouts, social tariffs and distorting the market with subsidy. If he were serious about helping people rather than taking a populist approach he would be arguing for a COL uplift to benefits. 

Scot_39

To be fair those just above benefit thresholds often end up worse.

Only some things are tapered - others are 1p switches.

And when auto qualification kicks in - for council tax relief, for dental and optician charges etc for oaps on pension credit for instance.

keef-WhatStandards

Are there no tariffs that offer no standing charges now? What about E.org who advertise this on their prepayment scheme? Is this a con?