Standing Charges Ofgem review

Qyburn

TheElectricCow said:

But I do believe things like the socialised policy aspects of the SC (i.e. costs not related to supplying energy/improving the network) are better off being collected elsewhere. I’d prefer my energy bills be related to energy, and state welfare be handled by the government via the systems already in place for the funding of those welfare systems. 

Politically the government won't like that as some sort of tax would need to be increased to make good. Whereas people blame the suppliers or other parts of the industry for the standing charge.

MultiFuelBurner

wrf12345 said:

complete waste of time, Ofgem have no interest in helping consumers, need to contact the new energy minister as getting rid of standing charges and council tax is pure electioneering and the only way the current mob will get re-elected.

For someone with a history of strong views on the standing charge it is a real shame that you think this is a waste of time.

Happy to post, in my opinion, ridiculous solutions to the Standing Charge (but who knows these day) but when given the chance to voice these you retreat back to the armchair and call it a waste of time?

twopenny

Could the standing charge not be related to the amount of fuel you use?

Frankly it makes my head hurt just trying to understand some of the points put across in this and the other thread.

I've always felt comfortable that increase in costs just mean managing my usage.

Now I cut back, making my life fairly miserable, only for it to be less than the standing charge - and that's without the vat.

No one has looked at my meters or pipes or done anything to them in 50yrs between this house and the last.

So presumably it's about supply.

Which is unecconmical.

MeteredOut

twopenny said:

Could the standing charge not be related to the amount of fuel you use?

Frankly it makes my head hurt just trying to understand some of the points put across in this and the other thread.

I've always felt comfortable that increase in costs just mean managing my usage.

Now I cut back, making my life fairly miserable, only for it to be less than the standing charge - and that's without the vat.

No one has looked at my meters or pipes or done anything to them in 50yrs between this house and the last.

So presumably it's about supply.

Which is unecconmical.

Wow, how did you manage to monitor ever meter of cable or pipeline over every possible route that the gas or electricity could ever possibly use to reach your house in order to reach that conclusion?

You presume wrongly, and its not really that difficult to understand.

TheElectricCow

twopenny said:

Could the standing charge not be related to the amount of fuel you use?

Frankly it makes my head hurt just trying to understand some of the points put across in this and the other thread.

I've always felt comfortable that increase in costs just mean managing my usage.

Now I cut back, making my life fairly miserable, only for it to be less than the standing charge - and that's without the vat.

No one has looked at my meters or pipes or done anything to them in 50yrs between this house and the last.

So presumably it's about supply.

Which is unecconmical.

It could, but all that would achieve is increase the unit rates to unaffordable amounts for many.

The people who would benefit most are those fortunate enough to have expensive energy saving equipment such as solar panels and battery storage and who own efficient well insulated homes. The people worst off in that situation will be households on standard electric heating in poorly insulated homes, which tends to be those with lower incomes and can’t afford their bills to start with.

Based on current average figures for electricity, you’d have to increase the unit rate by around 7p to remove the daily standing charge, so anyone using more than 8 units per day would be worse off than they are now. If you use heating regularly that may prove to be a difficult to achieve target.

As for your pipes and meters, the fact that the energy is still reaching those pipes and meters from the place it comes from suggests the standing charge has been put to good use.

dunstonh

twopenny said:

Could the standing charge not be related to the amount of fuel you use?

Frankly it makes my head hurt just trying to understand some of the points put across in this and the other thread.

I've always felt comfortable that increase in costs just mean managing my usage.

Now I cut back, making my life fairly miserable, only for it to be less than the standing charge - and that's without the vat.

No one has looked at my meters or pipes or done anything to them in 50yrs between this house and the last.

So presumably it's about supply.

Which is unecconmical.

Why should it be linked to the amount of energy used?  that is what the unit rate is for.

debitcardmayhem

MeteredOut said:

twopenny said:

Could the standing charge not be related to the amount of fuel you use?

Frankly it makes my head hurt just trying to understand some of the points put across in this and the other thread.

I've always felt comfortable that increase in costs just mean managing my usage.

Now I cut back, making my life fairly miserable, only for it to be less than the standing charge - and that's without the vat.

No one has looked at my meters or pipes or done anything to them in 50yrs between this house and the last.

So presumably it's about supply.

Which is unecconmical.

Wow, how did you manage to monitor ever meter of cable or pipeline over every possible route that the gas or electricity could ever possibly use to reach your house in order to reach that conclusion?

You presume wrongly, and its not really that difficult to understand.

Has no-one ever dug up the roads where you live and inadvertently cut the electricity cables/gas pipes/water mains etc. If they have would you be inconvenienced and think ok I”ll pay for that since it’s down to the people putting in my super fast broadband which I really need. Come on it’s not cheap to maintain your power/water/phone etc when you need it hence you pay your share. There are parts of SC that shouldn’t be in there but without consultation (not that our words will count) things cannot go forwards. 

debitcardmayhem

I have just started their paper, and the first thing that strikes me is 
Stakeholders includes Media representatives, surely they mean doom mongers, what stake do the media have apart from click bait? Call me cynical (or as I prefer DCM). I am going to pull my last remaining hair out as this rate. I can’t see me giving a reasoned input before the deadline!! Chocolate Teapot comes to mind again👀

MattMattMattUK

wrf12345 said:

complete waste of time, Ofgem have no interest in helping consumers, need to contact the new energy minister as getting rid of standing charges and council tax is pure electioneering and the only way the current mob will get re-elected.

You have been complaining incessantly for more than two years now, there is now a mechanism where the regulator is asking for opinions to review them and you are refusing to engage. Dropping standing charges will not change the way anyone sensible would vote as it is an incredibly minor issue in relation to everything else going on in the country. Ofgem are also not standing for election and this review was not requested/demanded by the energy minister. 

MeteredOut

debitcardmayhem said:

MeteredOut said:

twopenny said:

Could the standing charge not be related to the amount of fuel you use?

Frankly it makes my head hurt just trying to understand some of the points put across in this and the other thread.

I've always felt comfortable that increase in costs just mean managing my usage.

Now I cut back, making my life fairly miserable, only for it to be less than the standing charge - and that's without the vat.

No one has looked at my meters or pipes or done anything to them in 50yrs between this house and the last.

So presumably it's about supply.

Which is unecconmical.

Wow, how did you manage to monitor ever meter of cable or pipeline over every possible route that the gas or electricity could ever possibly use to reach your house in order to reach that conclusion?

You presume wrongly, and its not really that difficult to understand.

Has no-one ever dug up the roads where you live and inadvertently cut the electricity cables/gas pipes/water mains etc. If they have would you be inconvenienced and think ok I”ll pay for that since it’s down to the people putting in my super fast broadband which I really need. Come on it’s not cheap to maintain your power/water/phone etc when you need it hence you pay your share. There are parts of SC that shouldn’t be in there but without consultation (not that our words will count) things cannot go forwards. 

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. I was responding to someone who was saying (and I'm paraphrasing) they should not have to pay the standing charge as the network delivering their energy has never been maintained in their lifetime.