Electricity goes up tomorrow

Bettahm

Mine goes up 30 a month tomorrow. 
I think I get the warm home discount and I will get the 300 cost of living payment in November. 
I'm on kerosene for heating and that is currently 400 for 500L, minimum order.
I'm on benefits only.

Just emailed my electricity supplier about introducing a social tarrif like the broadband and landline people have.

All they are doing so far is signposting people who are struggling financially to charities and organisations that help with debt.

Going to be a hard winter.

Jimm_Alumni

I believe my energy bill is also coming down. They keep trying to have us switch to a year fixed so part of me wonders if it'll keep dropping. They tried very hard to get us to switch to a year fixed the last time prices went down, telling us there's no guarantee it would go down again in October (there isn't a guarantee, but there's also no guarantee it'll go up...).

We live in a rather poorly-insulated large house. Our bills last month were very scary, a few hundred a month, private rent or I'd have had it done last year. Hopefully we have a warmer winter as well as the bills being reduced.

Bettahm

woodbine said:

My electricity goes down 7% tomorrow, although the £60 a month help we all got last year won't be repeated this year.
For heating we use LPG cylinders which I'm lead to understand has reduced by 18% this week.

Interesting to see some going down!
Think I read online somewhere most would go down but some would go up.
I checked around and really couldnt find a better deal.
Could have saved 4 a month but then all the hassle of changing.
And I dont want a smart meter.

Bettahm

Jimm_Scope said:

I believe my energy bill is also coming down. They keep trying to have us switch to a year fixed so part of me wonders if it'll keep dropping. They tried very hard to get us to switch to a year fixed the last time prices went down, telling us there's no guarantee it would go down again in October (there isn't a guarantee, but there's also no guarantee it'll go up...).

We live in a rather poorly-insulated large house. Our bills last month were very scary, a few hundred a month, private rent or I'd have had it done last year. Hopefully we have a warmer winter as well as the bills being reduced.

I live in an old house . It's got loft insulation, double glazed but no cavity walls just 9 inch thick solid walls so does get cold.
Dont know if heating oil will come down it was 400 minimum spend earlier this month.

Jimm_Alumni

Ours certainly aren't that thick. We have a cavity but it's not got any insulation, it's a 70s house so well before regulations said cavities should be insulated including party-walls (we're semi-detached).

I assume there's no way to switch to an alternative from oil for you?

Bettahm

Jimm_Scope said:

Ours certainly aren't that thick. We have a cavity but it's not got any insulation, it's a 70s house so well before regulations said cavities should be insulated including party-walls (we're semi-detached).

I assume there's no way to switch to an alternative from oil for you?

No oil is all there is here. The 300 cost of living payment in November will help with the first purchase but will need one prob two more to see me through.
So will be struggling later so hoping the government might help out yet.
You have to pay for it up front. The oil companies have no schemes. 18 years I've been here and it's nearly always been hard, harder  now as gone up so much.
Though down a bit from the pound a litre it was.
Also price always goes up in winter.

Jimm_Alumni

I assume you're in a location that is just not possible, or too costly, to connect to the gas network?

I'm not sure what I'd do in such a situation, I guess there isn't really anything to do except what you're already doing. Paying for the oil and just trying to be careful with consumption.

Bettahm

Jimm_Scope said:

I assume you're in a location that is just not possible, or too costly, to connect to the gas network?

I'm not sure what I'd do in such a situation, I guess there isn't really anything to do except what you're already doing. Paying for the oil and just trying to be careful with consumption.

Theres no gas in the village and no main drains. Have had help from a local charity in the past to get oil but they refused me last time a few years back. 
Just hoping for a mild winter and just maybe some government help for those on benefits also low incomes having to pay so much up front to stay warm.
I suppose in that way being on heating oil is a bit like a prepayment meter.

Jimm_Alumni

Have you already checked if there's any support your council offers at all?

Bettahm

Jimm_Scope said:

Have you already checked if there's any support your council offers at all?

No I havent. Will make an enquiry as dont need any yet. Never thought to ask them. If they do it will probably be a grant and knowing them quite complicated to apply which I couldnt deal with. But very worth asking. 
Hoping to get a support worker soon when my referral goes through to IPBT who can help with these things.

Bettahm

stormy said:

Bettahm said:

Jimm_Scope said:

I believe my energy bill is also coming down. They keep trying to have us switch to a year fixed so part of me wonders if it'll keep dropping. They tried very hard to get us to switch to a year fixed the last time prices went down, telling us there's no guarantee it would go down again in October (there isn't a guarantee, but there's also no guarantee it'll go up...).

We live in a rather poorly-insulated large house. Our bills last month were very scary, a few hundred a month, private rent or I'd have had it done last year. Hopefully we have a warmer winter as well as the bills being reduced.

I live in an old house . It's got loft insulation, double glazed but no cavity walls just 9 inch thick solid walls so does get cold.
Dont know if heating oil will come down it was 400 minimum spend earlier this month.

Yeah the thick the stone wall is bad for heating costs. They just absorb the heat, never to release (unless its right next to a fireplace). Mine are 33" thick... with no heating it goes down to about 7C at times.

I think we got £200 for not having mains gas last year- I dunno if we are getting that again.

Yes we got 200 last year but dont think that's happening again. 
Those are thick walls!!
Like a church, those places are never warm!

Jimm_Alumni

I'm thinking back to my history of YE OLDEN DAYS and I remember they would hang rugs, tapestries, cloth from the thick stone walls to try and insulate them. Obviously something that would cost unless you happen to have rugs lying around... well, lying around and not being used as rugs. And even then I'm not really sure you'd be saving much? I have heard draught excluders can be well worth their cost though if you can find draughts still not covered.

Bettahm

Jimm_Scope said:

I'm thinking back to my history of YE OLDEN DAYS and I remember they would hang rugs, tapestries, cloth from the thick stone walls to try and insulate them. Obviously something that would cost unless you happen to have rugs lying around... well, lying around and not being used as rugs. And even then I'm not really sure you'd be saving much? I have heard draught excluders can be well worth their cost though if you can find draughts still not covered.

Lol! This is a draughty, damp old cottage. Back when it was built it had 2 real fires in it which would have warmed the walls and dried the rain out of the bricks I guess. 
Modern central heatings not right in old houses.

Sandy_123

Mines coming down too

Bettahm

woodbine said:

Isn't heating oil best brought in the summer when its cheaper?

It hasn't come down much since it was one pound a litre. It's still 400 for the minimum spend. And it might go up I guess as we get into winter. A few years back it was between 250 and 300 in winter and just under 200 in summer.

poppy123456

There’s the household support fund still running. Contact your local authority because heating costs is one of the things this supports. Full details here https://www.gov.uk/cost-living-help-local-council
The earlier you apply for this the better because each LA will have different funding amounts and some areas will have less than others. Definitely worth making enquiries. 

My son and his partner live on the edge of a mountain, literally. Their house is about 200 years old and they have no gas in the village they live in either. Their only source of heating is oil and I remember them telling me last year that it was about £500. Their house is freezing!! I stayed there last winter for a couple of nights… never again in the winter 😂 never been so cold! 🥶

Bettahm

poppy123456 said:

There’s the household support fund still running. Contact your local authority because heating costs is one of the things this supports. Full details here https://www.gov.uk/cost-living-help-local-council
The earlier you apply for this the better because each LA will have different funding amounts and some areas will have less than others. Definitely worth making enquiries. 

My son and his partner live on the edge of a mountain, literally. Their house is about 200 years old and they have no gas in the village they live in either. Their only source of heating is oil and I remember them telling me last year that it was about £500. Their house is freezing!! I stayed there last winter for a couple of nights… never again in the winter 😂 never been so cold! 🥶

Thanks for this!
Will be checking this out

Yes this house is really cold in winter without the heating on 24/7

Jimm_Alumni

Old housing is such an issue in the UK, and the new builds are being built in a way that they're only "serviceable" for so many decades. Even affects public buildings, see the recent RAAC school crisis.

I understand the want to switch to heat pumps due to cheaper long-term + environmental benefits, but most housing just isn't built for them. Much like @Bettahm's housing wasn't built for modern heating methods.

There has to be a compromise between keeping historically relevant buildings and having homes that stay warm without losing an arm and a leg.

bg844

I'm with E-On Next and a few weeks ago they offered select existing customers (like myself) a deal which means my energy will always cap at £50 below the price cap on both Gas and Electric, no fixed contract either. Even though the market is no longer competitive as it was even just a few years ago, it is definitely worth seeing if you can get similar from your own supplier. Every little helps I guess.

Bettahm

bg844 said:

I'm with E-On Next and a few weeks ago they offered select existing customers (like myself) a deal which means my energy will always cap at £50 below the price cap on both Gas and Electric, no fixed contract either. Even though the market is no longer competitive as it was even just a few years ago, it is definitely worth seeing if you can get similar from your own supplier. Every little helps I guess.

I've emailed my supplier now 3 maybe 4 or 5 times over September explaining my situation and asking for help or advise.
Nothing. No replies.
So from today I'm paying 30 a month more.
Still hoping they might eventually respond to me if I keep at them.
Annoying thing is they are rewarding customers with solar panels, electric cars, and those that live near wind farms with cheaper electricity.
Apparently ignoring people on low incomes and/or benefits.

Bettahm

Jimm_Scope said:

Old housing is such an issue in the UK, and the new builds are being built in a way that they're only "serviceable" for so many decades. Even affects public buildings, see the recent RAAC school crisis.

I understand the want to switch to heat pumps due to cheaper long-term + environmental benefits, but most housing just isn't built for them. Much like @Bettahm's housing wasn't built for modern heating methods.

There has to be a compromise between keeping historically relevant buildings and having homes that stay warm without losing an arm and a leg.

I suspect I may be the last occupant of this old house. Built in 1895 it has suffered much over the years including flooding from the sea, being struck by lightning and catching fire, and is buried 3 feet under the road that runs alongside it. It's not listed or anything, just a two up two down with flat roof extension so suspect when I pass away itll get demolished and they'll throw a couple of new builds up in its place.