Fuel poverty

[Bulletguy]

 

Two-thirds of all UK households will be trapped in fuel poverty by January with planned government support leaving even middle-income households struggling to pay their bills, according to research.

 

An estimated 86.4% of pensioner couples are expected to fall into fuel poverty, traditionally defined as when energy costs exceed 10% of a household’s net income, and 90.4% of lone parents with two or more children.

 

Asda chairman Stuart Rose criticised the government– which will fund a £400 universal energy grant in October as well as further support targeted at the poorest families – for a “horrifying” lack of action over inflation. “It’s going to be painful for everybody,” he told BBC radio.

 

“We have been very, very slow in recognising this train coming down the tunnel,” added the Tory peer.

 

Meanwhile, the bone idle tub of lard who is PM in title only (was he ever anything other?), basks on the sun kissed beaches of Greece in denial over the turmoil he's left behind for the population to face.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/aug/17/two-thirds-of-uk-families-could-be-in-fuel-poverty-by-january-research-finds

[Bulletguy]

 

A former executive at the oil company BP has called for increases to the energy price cap to be scrapped and for suppliers that fail to help households struggling with bills to be nationalised.

 

Nick Butler, who worked for BP for almost 30 years and was group vice-president for strategy and development, said that expected rises in the cap should be abandoned by the industry regulator, Ofgem, which he said had been “overwhelmed by events” after turmoil in the global energy markets sent 29 British energy retailers to the wall.

 

Butler is also calling for a “forensic examination” of the accounts of remaining suppliers to ensure they are still viable businesses.

 

Ofgem is expected to announce next week a rise in the price cap, which is supposed to protect consumers. This could mean annual bills jumping from an average of £1,971 to £3,582.

 

Butler said: “As with the financial sector in 2008, if the private energy sector fails to meet the needs of the society it serves, its functions must and will be taken on by the government. The companies involved now must show they understand that they must use their skills and resources in the public interest.”

 

His former employer, BP, has been accused of “unfettered profiteering” during the energy crisis, aided by a rise in wholesale oil and gas prices caused in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/aug/19/former-bp-chief-urges-freeze-to-uk-energy-price-cap-to-help-households

[Bulletguy]

 

SME's are also falling like flies as spiralling costs simply become untenable. This is just the start......there are going to be many more over the next few months.

 

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/uk-businesses-closing-energy-bills-cost-of-living-crisis_uk_62fcfc01e4b0a85a8197c961

 

 

[Bulletguy]

 

Staying on thread topic - another small business brought the shutters down after receiving an electricity bill for £76,000

 

 

The energy crisis is tearing through Britain’s high streets, with warnings on Friday of a “lost generation” of small businesses, as the impact of soaring gas and electricity prices begins to hit cafes, restaurants, shops and salons.

 

Across the UK, growing numbers of traders are closing their doors for good in the face of unaffordable costs driven by record inflation, with some reporting tenfold increases in utility bills.

 

Smaller traders, which employ 16 million people between them, do not benefit from the energy price cap.

 

A Stafford fish 'n chip shop has been quoted an annual energy bill of £36,000, six times higher than the £6,000 he has been paying to date.

 

Friday marked the last day of trading for Minshull’s Country Kitchen, a cafe in Sandbach, Cheshire. After eight successful years of producing “nanny’s cooking” – from quiches and stews to pies and crumbles – Paul Minshull has decided to call it a day, fearful of the rising energy bills and an impending recession.

 

“We felt one increase [in energy bills] and that was a pinch enough as it is. We couldn’t sustain the next ones,” he said. “I can see what the next few years are going to bring and it’s not going to end any time soon.”

 

Customers of the Ainsty Farm Shop at Kirk Hammerton, near York, were informed by the owners that they were closing their doors at the end of September “because of the huge rise in electricity prices”.

 

Stuart and Lily Beaton posted on Facebook that the impending increase in energy bills made it impossible to continue trading after their electricity contract ends at the end of next month.

 

The Beatons, who have run the business for 22 years and been in the same premises for 17, wrote: “As you probably all understand, running a butchery, bakery and deli uses a lot of electricity and we can now no longer carry on.”

 

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/aug/19/uk-small-businesses-forced-to-close-by-soaring-energy-bills

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-19 8:44 PM

 

Just as well the U.K. had its highest level exports ever recorded! See!! - inflation can be an advantage……..

Apparently its necessary to point out that exports look higher when the pound has never been lower

So exports, like everything else, looks higher when measured in Brexit crashed pounds

How about the trade deficit :-(

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/bulletins/uktrade/june2022

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-20 7:35 AM

 

the U.K.’s issues are only caused by Brexit and certain parties according to some tribal Neanderthals

 

Can you quote them - or is that just another thing you have made up?

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-20 11:05 AM

 

John52 - 2022-08-20 10:07 AM

 

Gremlin - 2022-08-20 7:35 AM

 

the U.K.’s issues are only caused by Brexit and certain parties according to some tribal Neanderthals

 

Can you quote them - or is that just another thing you have made up?

 

Just look at your posts in particular……!

 

Don't need to because I know I never said 'the U.K.’s issues are only caused by Brexit '

And you can't quote it

Which proves you made it up.

[John52]

Back to topic

Gas prices are rising because demand outstrips supply

Throwing more money at a limited supply just raises the price to absurd levels like the housing market.

Like an auction the price will keep rising till enough people drop out

We have either got to use less fuel or increase the supply.

Increasing the supply is rather difficult now sinceThatcher had the 'foresight' (according to Johnson) to close our coal mines and buy our coal from Russia instead :-S Then gave away our power and water supplies to foreign corporations who hired Tory MPs and won't sell us fuel below the market price - and why would they when they can sell it elsewhere?

Those of us who can do so need to use less fuel. Like turn the thermostat down and put on more clothes.

Would be nice if our leaders set an example *-)

[John52]

John52 - 2022-08-22 4:14 PM

 

Gremlin - 2022-08-20 11:05 AM

 

John52 - 2022-08-20 10:07 AM

 

Gremlin - 2022-08-20 7:35 AM

 

the U.K.’s issues are only caused by Brexit and certain parties according to some tribal Neanderthals

 

Can you quote them - or is that just another thing you have made up?

 

Just look at your posts in particular……!

 

Don't need to because I know I never said 'the U.K.’s issues are only caused by Brexit '

And you can't quote it

Which proves you made it up.

 

Biggest issue seems to Putin's invasion of Ukraine

How much that is down to Brexit only he knows

But, given the effort he made to promote Brexit and divide us from our allies before he invaded, I find it hard to believe Brexit and the Ukraine invasion are entirely unrelated?

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-23 6:53 AM

 

John52 - 2022-08-22 4:24 PM

 

Back to topic

Gas prices are rising because demand outstrips supply

Throwing more money at a limited supply just raises the price to absurd levels like the housing market.

Like an auction the price will keep rising till enough people drop out

We have either got to use less fuel or increase the supply.

Increasing the supply is rather difficult now sinceThatcher had the 'foresight' (according to Johnson) to close our coal mines and buy our coal from Russia instead :-S Then gave away our power and water supplies to foreign corporations who hired Tory MPs and won't sell us fuel below the market price - and why would they when they can sell it elsewhere?

Those of us who can do so need to use less fuel. Like turn the thermostat down and put on more clothes.

Would be nice if our leaders set an example *-)

 

 

 

Is that from the Nicola Sturgeon school of fiscal ineptitude?

 

 

I think it probably is.

 

Its simple and basic supply and demand

I thought you were a businessman *-)

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-23 7:09 AM

I suppose Putins Crystal Ball told him Brexit was on the way when he invaded Georgia in August 2008 - which he did on the same pretext of “helping”.

 

And I suppose he knew Brexit was on the way when he illegally annexed Crimea in March 2014.

The real reason he thought he could act with impunity is because he held(holds) the EU and Germany in particular over a barrel because they are dependent upon Russia for their energy.

 

...(further ranting, waffle & tripe removed)... (lol)

 

 

Apparently its necessary to point out that Ukraine is bigger and stronger than Georgia or Crimea.

Unlike you I can't read Putin's deranged mind, so I don't know what tipped the balance towards his decision to invade Ukraine.

But its apparently necessary to point out that his success in dividing Britain from its allies through Russian funding of Brexit would have been a factor in supporting his belief he could get away with it.

Do I need to explain why he might think that dividing his opponents through Brexit would weaken them?

[John52]

Read the reports of Russian money funding Brexit.

And when you have mastered the basics of supply and demand you might realise that cutting our consumption is the only solution to a reduced supply. Throwing more money at the same limited supply won't work.

EU countries are already asking people to cut consumption https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/23/energy-use-is-a-decision-for-individuals-insist-no-10-and-truss-allies

Years ago,before Thatcher's focus on selfishness (which she called 'individualism) English people would have been community spirited enough to cut their consumption too. But the 'government' we have now seem scared of the political implications of asking people to do the right thing and cut their energy consumption. People might ask their leaders what they are doing to cut energy consumption, or might ask why Truss spent £500k hiring an airliner for a wasted journey to Oz, Or why Johnson hired one to come back from a climate change conference he was hosting in his own country :-(

And even the monarchy don't want another Royal Yacht - but Truss does

[John52]

Whatever *-)

But we should all try to reduce our fuel consumption whatever our financial situation.

Unfortunately your leaders don't have the courage to tell us to do so.

[John52]

Since I am professor of the bleeding obvious I will also point out to you that Putin decided to invade Ukraine because the EU opposition was divided. Johnson had taken us out on a pack of lies, and was already threatening to renege on a deal he negotiated and signed less than 12 months before. So it was left to Macron to try and dissuade Putin whilst Johnson was sowing even more division with his absurd suggestion that Ukraine was fighting for its right to stay out of the EU.

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-23 10:56 AM

 

 

And to top it off - you get the Royal Family involved re a Yacht you say they don’t want but Truss does apparently.

 

 

Bat poop crazy you are.

 

 

apparently its necessary to point out big yachts use a lot of fuel

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/23/even-the-monarchy-doesnt-want-a-new-royal-yacht-but-liz-truss-does

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-24 2:41 PM

 

Gremlin - 2022-08-24 1:37 PM

 

Yep - Bloomberg just confirmed - for the first time since 1997 the U.K. did not import any fuel products from Russia in June.

 

 

I think that statistic is a great statement and achievement given this Ukrainian Independence Day.

 

 

I hear Boris has turned up.

.

 

Is that for their benefit *-)

or his ?

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-24 5:11 PM

Well they (Ukraine) like and appreciate him

Johnson is sending them weapons and making them promises, of course they welcome him, what do you expect?

He is buying popularity with your money just like he does here in Scotland (and N Ireland, Wales etc)

But it reminds me of Iraq - where Bush & Bliar encouraged them to rise up against Saddam, got halfway to Basra, then turned round and left the Iraq people to their fate.

Same in Afghanistan where those who supported our forces have been left to the Taliban.

The welcome Johnson promised for Uhranian refugees in England is already turning so sour some are going back to Ukraine.

How long will Johnson's support last?

I fear that in a few years time the Ukranians will be hating England as much as they hate Putin. :-(

[John52]

Gremlin - 2022-08-24 5:11 PM

They all are as bad as one another.

 

Not true, and a nasty slur on the genuine people in parliament we don't get to hear about.

But its exactly what the Daily Mail brigade and Johnson want you to think

Now his behaviour has been shown to be indefensible, the only way they can excuse it is by saying everyone else is as bad.

[John52]

What the Tories don't want you to know is that the price we pay for electricity has far more to do with their privatised energy market than the war in Ukraine

If the price of gas goes up we pay more for electricity generated from wind 8-)

Yes - really

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/01/generation-britain-long-term-illness-cold-poor-winter-cost-of-living-crisis

We need to stop Members of Parliament being hired by private companies who are ripping us off.

[colin]

Same applies across almost all the EU as well, the energy market is broken at the moment, not sure how it can be fixed, but you can bet that any playing around with the formula will mess something else up.

[John52]

colin - 2022-09-01 1:25 PM

not sure how it can be fixed,

 

Only way I know is to have vital services in public ownership, like France etc

I remember fondly buying services from one supplier with fair and reasonable pricing the same for everyone.

Instead of trying to negotiate an absurdly complicated array of pricing terms and conditions from multiple private companies, all promoting smoke and mirrors tricks to confuse us and rip us off.

Was there any reason to sell off our railways, telecoms, power and water supplies?

(other than Tory MPs hired by the spivs and chancers cashing in)

[Bulletguy]

colin - 2022-09-01 1:25 PM

 

Same applies across almost all the EU as well, the energy market is broken at the moment, not sure how it can be fixed, but you can bet that any playing around with the formula will mess something else up.

EU countries have storage facilities we don't because we foolishly demolished ours to save £750m instead of keeping them maintained. Look at how much gas tiny little Slovakia has stored.....three times the amount we have for a population of just 5.7 million. We can only store enough gas for four or five winter days.

 

This chart shows country storage and consumption;

[colin]

Bulletguy - 2022-09-01 3:03 PM

 

colin - 2022-09-01 1:25 PM

 

Same applies across almost all the EU as well, the energy market is broken at the moment, not sure how it can be fixed, but you can bet that any playing around with the formula will mess something else up.

EU countries have storage facilities we don't because we foolishly demolished ours to save £750m instead of keeping them maintained. Look at how much gas tiny little Slovakia has stored.....three times the amount we have for a population of just 5.7 million. We can only store enough gas for four or five winter days.

 

This chart shows country storage and consumption;

 

Much of the EU desperately need to store gas as they have been kissing Putin's butt, so that doesn't really tell the story, storing gas wouldn't make a big differance to the price. That's not to say that the UK is immune from the fallout of the EU's appeasement policies, but we are in general paying a price based on market prices, not 'cost plus', now whilst we might think 'cost plus' would be fairer at the moment, you can be sure that when world prices are low we would be thinking that the 'cost plus' prices are to high.

[Bulletguy]

 

No worries.....the Dear (part time) Leader has the answer. *-)

 

[John52]

I have just wasted half an hour watching Johnson's neutered BBC Panorama programme on the subject.

The reasons Britain is the worst hit country in Europe were simply ignored.

They said the problem started when we came out of Lockdown

Wheras, in truth, it started 40 years ago.

I can remember when we owned our oil, coal, and electricity generators

Before the Tories sold them off.

All this was predicted then.

The obvious danger of leavig ourselves dependent on foreign companies for our power and water supplies.

Countries like Norway kept theirs in public ownership and are now rolling in money - our money

What can we do?

We can't demand they sell us gas for less than the price they could get for it elsewhere.

We can't slap a windfall tax on the Norwegian Government either.

But i don't blame them for having the sense to keep their energy supplies in public ownership lke we should have done.