Gas Standing Charges..

EssexHebridean

I assume you use gas for cooking only? We used to be in that situation - kept things as they were as it suited us to maintain that, and I was always very conscious of the fact that it must have been painful for suppliers supplying someone like me! It did reach the stage at it was getting increasingly difficult to even find a supplier who was willing to take us on without us going to them for electricity only.  Do I think we should have paid less for the standing charge than our neighbours next door who used gas for heating and hot water, and in far greater quantities? Absolutely not - the cost of delivering the gas to our meter was exactly the same as it was to theirs, and it was anyone else’s choice that we used as little as we did! 

Chris_b2z

harlings said:

This makes my blood boil.. I try to reduce my costs by keeping my usage low then they shaft me by increasing the standing charges!!

Please don't be distracted by some of the negative comments. For some reason, this forum seems to be very closely aligned to pro-industry opinion. Nonetheless, Martin Lewis together with most charity organisations and public opinion are entirely behind you.

You should not be penalised for making an effort to reduce energy usage.

molerat

Chris_b2z said:

harlings said:

This makes my blood boil.. I try to reduce my costs by keeping my usage low then they shaft me by increasing the standing charges!!

Please don't be distracted by some of the negative comments. For some reason, this forum seems to be very closely aligned to pro-industry opinion. Nonetheless, Martin Lewis together with most charity organisations and public opinion are entirely behind you.

You should not be penalised for making an effort to reduce energy usage.

The majority on this forum take a more pragmatic sensible approach.  Many of these charities seem to think the "poor" and disadvantaged should get everything for free and do not think out or care where the money to actually pay for it all will come from.  Putting the standing charge onto unit prices will likely negatively impact many in disadvantaged user groups - the elderly, the sick, those with young families, renters in poorly insulated homes etc - who use a lot of energy whilst giving a bonus bill cut to the wealthy who can afford the latest energy saving devices and systems.

matelodave

The forum isn't aligned with pro=industry opinion its tends to be aligned with those who've got a better idea of what is going on and the cost of delivering gas to your door 24/7/365.

Would you honestly expect Tesco or any of the other supermarkets to give you a discount on the delivery cost of a single tin of beans to you front door compared with a fully weekly shop or monthly shop for the house next door.

TBH if you use so little gas then the option is to give up your supply and save the S/C or go and get cylinders yourself when you need them. Or try getting one delivered when it runs out whilst you are cooking Sunday lunch.

Chris_b2z

With all due respect, this question was raised because OP received an email stating that discounts were forthcoming from April only to discover that they were not going to benefit from them because of low usage.

So, can anyone please explain exactly why standing charges are increasing next week?

pseudodox

Chris_b2z said:

With all due respect, this question was raised because OP received an email stating that discounts were forthcoming from April only to discover that they were not going to benefit from them because of low usage.

So, can anyone please explain exactly why standing charges are increasing next week?

Probably for the same reasons Council Tax, water, telephone, broadband, insurance, petrol, baked beans, coffee, train fares, cars, clothes, fish & chips, meals out, Easter eggs etc have all increased in price.  That's life.  

Phones4Chris

Chris_b2z said:

With all due respect, this question was raised because OP received an email stating that discounts were forthcoming from April only to discover that they were not going to benefit from them because of low usage.

So, can anyone please explain exactly why standing charges are increasing next week?

Oh dear, I cannot understand why no-one had quoted the OFFICIAL source
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/changes-energy-price-cap-between-1-april-30-june-2024

EssexHebridean

Also, just as a reminder, the suppliers do not set the basic standing charge, nor do they profit from it as such. 

Chris_b2z

pseudodox said:

Probably for the same reasons Council Tax, water, telephone, broadband, insurance, petrol, baked beans, coffee, train fares, cars, clothes, fish & chips, meals out, Easter eggs etc have all increased in price.  That's life.  

You haven't answered my question. The Ofgem SVT price cap is actually decreasing tomorrow.

Phones4Chris said:

Oh dear, I cannot understand why no-one had quoted the OFFICIAL source
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/changes-energy-price-cap-between-1-april-30-june-2024

Thank you for the link but it still doesn't answer my question.

EssexHebridean said:

Also, just as a reminder, the suppliers do not set the basic standing charge, nor do they profit from it as such. 

Is that a fact that suppliers don't profit? Please provide your source of information. Do National Grid profit from the standing charge?

RavingMad

EssexHebridean said:

Also, just as a reminder, the suppliers do not set the basic standing charge, nor do they profit from it as such. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6457615/martin-lewis-why-are-energy-standing-charges-so-high-what-can-be-done/p1

Reading into this, there are profits built into the SC, unless the model has changed since it was published