People earning 45K plus to receive Energy help

Thats something I would like to see. In the beginning the Energy companies played fair with the consumers and the cost of fuel was kept at a level everyone could afford Then things changed and every year the cost went up more than in previous years and now we have the situation we are in now. I think the energy companies should be made to take less profit so that people can keep warm during the coming winter.

Isn't it weird how they can increase the unit cost of power overnight when it goes up , yet can't decrease the rate to help everyone out? They could slash the prepayment card rate immediately just as they do when it goes UP !!! and another weird thing, HMRC know exactly what you're earning when it t comes to extracting tax and increasing the tax threshold etc etc,yet say they're not able to also slash the rates for those on low incomes to help them in this living hell we're all in at the moment. There are lies damn lies and statistics! And we're told that statistically the poorer paid benefit more from the govs easement measures than the mahoosively overpaid? Isn't life......weird?

Part of me wonders if this is a massive distraction from all the other things hitting the fan for the Tories. When every news bulletin, talk show and discussion board is talking about cutting costs and the detail of how to help with bills, we are not talking about sewerage in water, the absent PM, whether to call the absent PM to account for his lies, the corruption around Covid and so on and so on.

When the new PM is crowned, s/he can announce a 'magnanimous' plan, which will make it more likely that they will be voted in in the GE. If we've thought that the bills will go up to more than £6k a year, then a 'cut' to £3k will seem generous.

You do all realise this help is totally hypothetical right now?

At the moment Liz Truss thinks we’ll be able to pay the increase from tax cuts and a reduction in vat.
If you don’t pay tax and don’t spend on goods and services how will the shortfall be made up?
The s* will be hitting the fan very soon.

That is a lot Poppyred.

Net Zero was always going to cost a hell of a lot, as well as being impossible in the time-frame given. I don't think people realised that, probably not even our soon to be ousted, over-influenced by his wife, PM.

As well as other world events, I think that may be part of the reason prices have risen so much and will continue to do so without government having a coherent and workable energy policy.

Smileless2012

Our combined standing charge for gas and electricity is 77p a day which I think is ridiculous, is anyone's any higher?

Yes ours! 85p per day from the 15th Sept!

I’ll put this up again in case it might apply to someone.

Some years ago while helping a friend to receive pension credit I discovered that that she could get her service charges paid and her ground rent on her privately rented flat.

I think everyone is worried. We all have outgoings, and getting into a competition about who gets more help, and who needs what is playing into the government's hands.

£45K living down south, paying for transport to get to work and with children at University is not a lot at all.
I’m worried about how far pensions are expected to stretch.

I totally agree ! The energy companies continue to make massive profits year after year . We are all supposed to “save fir rainy day” does this not apply to them . Do the energy companies not plan for fuel increases at source? It’s not just households, how will our lovely small local coffee shops / small businesses/ local pubs etc keep their premises warm day after day . They won’t be able to afford to open their doors soon and I think we will see reduced opening hours eventually we will have to be understanding if jumpers are required while eating out soon, especially if we expect prices not to rise too much

People on a basic state pension can receive a pension credit top up to £182.60 / wk. £9495 p.a. They can apply for council tax benefit, which helps, but although this is means tested, it is not classed as a means tested benefit for extra help with energy bills. There are many single pensioners who have to "live" on this income (more of an existance really). So I can understand the reaction when some pensioners find that people on 5 times their income are to receive exactly the same amount of help as they will.

working people on 45k with rent or mortgage and children absolutely need financial help. That is not at all a lot of income, no matter how frugal they are

Sick of it all! Scared for winter with health getting worse! Need to be warm but cannot afford it like many other older people! A good way of getting rid of us & making room for all the younger people as one young man stated during the pandemic! Soon be many frozen older bodies found & news media wondering why? Bitter much? Yes I am!

People on £45K a year have worked so hard to get that. They too have families and commitments. This country should desist giving to those who “won’t “ and give more to those who “can’t “.

I think we are all being gaslit. Mounting and justifiable hysteria about energy costs, no government response. Suddenly they will announce a freeze at current rates and everyone will be so relieved that they will forget we are already paying in the region of £1 - 1.5k more than we were at this time last year.

I think all should be entitled to assistance. 45K less tax, ins, pens contributions all have to be deducted. Everyones circunstances are different, a wage level tells nothing about peoples outgoings and needs (not wants, needs).

Neither Truss not Sunak seem to be considering anything other than paying the suppliers huge sums of money that will be passed onto shareholders. Why is this the right way to do it?

If there were a genuine cap on bills - so that households are not paying large sums to line others' pockets - the shareholders would get lower dividends, but isn't that a risk that investors take? Even people with small amounts in S&S ISAs are warned that 'your capital may be at risk' and expected to take the hit if their savings go down in value.

I doubt this is what people expected when the 'Tell Sid' ads were making the sell-off of a service we all owned seem friendly and benign.

JaneJudge

for a normal 3 bed semi here with a small garden it is 1.5k in rent and @ 400 pm in council tax so that is £1.9k accounted for out of your £2.8k monthly wage already. If you have 2 children and your partner only works part time because of child care issues, it is surely simple economics to think people may struggle to meet bills for energy, transport to work and food costs. Not sure why anything about this has to do with credit cards and excessive copulation.

Yes I agree, my daughter has always been single and has two adopted children, hence though she may earn £45k p.a. (though I would not ask!) she does have a household to support single handed. I suppose life may be a little easier for those who have partners, but at the moment child care costs are so high that some people could not hope to earn enough to make working "worthwhile", particularly before children are at secondary school.

I wish my annual income was £45k instead of state and work pensions totalling £14.5k.

Casdon

I would far rather the same financial assistance is offered to every household regardless of income because any other system will be imperfect and some people will fall through the net, and it will require armies of staff to administer to ensue it goes to the right people. The worst possible solution seems to be what Liz Truss is suggesting, to cut VAT by 5%, because essential items aren’t subject to VAT anyway, so the poorest households wouldn’t benefit at all.

Yes, I agree with what you say, cutting VAT would not really help those on benefits or lower incomes as many essentials are VAT free.
And means testing has long been condidered not be be cost effective, hence why the winter fuel payment is paid to all those who could be eligible but also taxable for those with higher incomes.

Generally those earning more than £45k are paying mortgages, have young families and pay hefty amounts of tax and NI ( my adult children being a part of that group). They do not have credit cards, or goods on instalments, they should not have to pay extortionate high energy bills while those who are receiving UC and benefits paid from the taxes they are paying, they should be given the same help and consideration as others.
Personally I think the government should have stepped in a long while back and insisted on an energy price freeze, in theory none of us can “afford” these prices, rich or poor.

I think it depends on where you live and how large your family is , in some parts of the country 45,000 is not a huge amount for a family of 4 to live on

If the money were to ber paid in the same way as the winter fuel payment it would be taxable in any case, so those paying higher rate tax will lose more of it. Those living on benefits of various kinds are unlikely to be paying tax so will keep it all, those paying "normal" rate tax will keep more.

As others have stated £45K seems a lot. But realistically, a couple earning that are possibly only earning £22500 each. Not poor, but not high wages by nowadays standards. My son and wife earn more than that, but one has high travel costs. They need 2 cars. Have an average mortgage. No childcare costs yet, but am sure that will come. Trouble is it costs so much to means test everyone.