MSE News: Energy firms to trial ‘low or no Standing Charge’ tariffs from April – here’s what we know

c1995

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901704#Comment_81901704

Why thank you! We use 2100 kWh of electricity per year.

Previously used the octopus compare app to compare agile against fixed, SVT and tracker. Agile always came out cheapest by a significant margin for us, with minimal load shifting required

Now we’re on EDF freephase it’s not as simple to compare our usage because there doesn’t seem to be any support from EDF and/ or the apps to export usage data. We only switched to EDF for the £75 referral campaign they were doing. Will likely switch back to octopus agile for electricity at least (now gas is fixed with EDF)

gpman

Why does it not surprise me that Octopus Compare tells you that?

According to my calculations (which may be wrong) and the figures you've provided, it seems to me you could be saving about a tenner a month based upon what you are being asked to pay (EDF usually set their initial monthly payment level based upon the estimated usage figures you provide, the tariff you select, and then simply divide the annual cost by 12… and then they will review it 3 months later and often advise you of a totally different monthly amount) by being on anyone's Pants Cap tariff.

Edit: You are aware that the EDF tracker tariff is a fixed term tariff, but not a fixed rate one? Prices will change as the Pants Cap changes, but you will save £50 per year on the standing charge.?

My calculation is based upon todays typical costs.

QrizB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901573#Comment_81901573

In principle, at least, you could have your gas combi boiler replaced with an electric combi. I'm not sure it'll save you much though.

Currently you're paying about £120 in standing charges plus £50 for gas plus £100(?) in boiler servicing. Call it £250 a year

Swapping for an electric boiler you'll save all that but add about £250 to your electricity bill.

Edit to add: with your current tariff being EDF FreePhase your additional electricity cost might be more like £150-200. That's still a quite small saving and will need to be weighed against the cost of replacing the boiler.

EssexHebridean

if something changes and the OP’s household should require more heating though an electric wet system is going to prove painfully expensive to run. Could also put buyers off if they sell, too. For my money, that wouldn’t be a risk I’d want to take I don’t think.

born_again

Interesting from Greg Jackson

https://youtu.be/DU3f7wB7rVQ?si=M3meHsVRkAMkcU09

gpman

I agree with Nick Greg

… apart from the nonsense he spouted about Octopus being the only supplier to offer lower than Price cap standing charges. If small suppliers can do it, why can't big ones? But to be fair he did say large supplier. But even then, Octopus is not the only large supplier to do so, and they do so with a much higher discount than Octopus.

t0rt0ise

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81902820#Comment_81902820

Small suppliers don't pay all the levies added to the standing charge hence lower charges.

Which large supplier does a better sc discount than octopus?

gpman

@t0rt0ise

"Which large supplier does a better sc discount than octopus?"

Here are some examples from big name suppliers on sale today - based on NW supply region

(not intended as a comprehensive list, for comparison purposes only)

MouldyOldDough

Standing Charges have increased 190% since 2019 - why is that ?

Have costs to suppliers increased by 190% ?- (remember we are talking purely about transport costs to the suppliers)

No - it's pure GREED and PROFIT !

molerat

If you had read the myriad of other posts, and the official OFGEM data, on the subject you would see that a lot of the increase in the SC is not kept by the supplier but just passes through them in the form of various levies, you pay it to them, they pay it to the government.