People earning 45K plus to receive Energy help

Norah

I'm curious to see our new rate, currently £435/month.

Fix ends in October. I suppose new rate to be grim.

Like you, my fixed term ends in October so am waiting to hear what I’ll be paying after. Currently pay £110 a month dual fuel ( and was in credit after last winter) so dread to think what it will be over the winter. I’m expecting it to be at least £300 but that might be rather optimistic!

Yes, they (and all disabled people) should get more help, too. It is frightening to see people who are unable to manage without heating and equipment worrying about the future. It is shameful that this is happening in a rich country like ours.

There was a woman on the news earlier who needs an electric device of some kind to help her to breathe, and she is worried about paying for the energy to power it. It is appalling that people are in that situation.

Also, for what my opinion matters, I don't think for a moment that carers are being subsidised. Quite the reverse.

what about if the person at home is a carer to a disabled relative or child? they are saving the economy thousands, many thousands maybe even millions over a few years or more

Casdon

effalump

So if they're part of a couple, each earning around 45K, should they still get help? Is £90K p.a. not an mount that you can work around? Veggie and lentil stew costs the same whether you're a singleton or a family of 5. Same as a singleton most likely pays similar heating and lighting costs as that family. So, who is most in need of help? It's not rocket science. A family of 5's single take-out once a week would easily pay for my week's food shop, with treats. Just sayin'.

Yes they should, because the costs of administering a scheme to check total household income and differentiate between the ‘deserving’ and the ‘not deserving’ is likely to cost more than any savings, it’s much more straightforward to make one payment per household. If you have a home you get the payment - simple.

Also, two earners should have more income than a two-person house with one earner. The second earner isn't working for fun. Households with one earner (other than single person ones) are already subsidised, as there is only one taxpayer for two adults and both use the NHS, education, roads and everything else. The idea that they should be further subsidised seems wrong to me. Everyone should get the subsidy.

Single households (ie those with one income and one adult) are a different matter, but there is no easy way for them to be targeted for extra money. Maybe something could be added to the single person's Council Tax discount? There must be some sort of record of single household for that to work.

effalump

So if they're part of a couple, each earning around 45K, should they still get help? Is £90K p.a. not an mount that you can work around? Veggie and lentil stew costs the same whether you're a singleton or a family of 5. Same as a singleton most likely pays similar heating and lighting costs as that family. So, who is most in need of help? It's not rocket science. A family of 5's single take-out once a week would easily pay for my week's food shop, with treats. Just sayin'.

Yes they should, because the costs of administering a scheme to check total household income and differentiate between the ‘deserving’ and the ‘not deserving’ is likely to cost more than any savings, it’s much more straightforward to make one payment per household. If you have a home you get the payment - simple.

Norah, I am dreading it too as for electric alone we are paying @£200 I've actually ordered oil today as I had enough money banked as I don't know what is going to happen with that

I'm curious to see our new rate, currently £435/month.

Fix ends in October. I suppose new rate to be grim.

So if they're part of a couple, each earning around 45K, should they still get help? Is £90K p.a. not an mount that you can work around? Veggie and lentil stew costs the same whether you're a singleton or a family of 5. Same as a singleton most likely pays similar heating and lighting costs as that family. So, who is most in need of help? It's not rocket science. A family of 5's single take-out once a week would easily pay for my week's food shop, with treats. Just sayin'.

on the news last night it said for comparison, France had capped their energy at 4% compared to our 80%

Nannina

What makes me sad is how a lot of people are playing into the governments’ hands by turning on each other instead of coming together to put pressure on what is supposed to be a democratic government.

?

What makes me sad is how a lot of people are playing into the governments’ hands by turning on each other instead of coming together to put pressure on what is supposed to be a democratic government.

My worry is that even if the price of gas/electricity, food at source eventually come down, the higher prices that the public will gradually be paying, might never reduce.

I have a fixed rate contract until March ‘23, but can’t help wondering if the prices will go up out of proportion in March to make up for what I am saving now??

Like Iam64 I have always donated my WFP to charity, in my case the Salvation Army and Crisis.
This year I shall still make a small donation but will really need it this year along with the additional help we are being given.
My fixed rate deal ends tomorrow and I dread to think what it will be by January.
My utilities company is EDF and they have withdrawn all fixed deals.

Liz Truss seems increasingly out of her depth. What kind of future prime minister refuses interviews? The one who can’t answer questions, the one with no real ideas.

The idea that the energy companies keep their huge profits and that tax cuts are the answer is the stuff of comedy. Tax cuts benefit the rich.

Means testing any cash the population are to ve given to help us survive thus winter, must be a nonstarter. The cost of means testing outweighs any savings

We have donated our winter fuel payment to a local charity but this year, we will keep it. Charities, food banks etc are going to be hard hit.

I don't know if y'all are obtuse or what. It's obvious she means people who do not work because they choose not to, and who are on the dole, what we call the welfare system here. People in this category generally don't have bank accounts and keep their money (and any side gigs under wraps). They know how to take advantage of every welfare benefit there is. I don't know about the UK, but in the US, the more welfare you collect more things up open up to you. If you earn less than this amount of money you get free phones or extra benefits on phones apply to them, etc., And if you qualify for that benefit, it automatically opens the door for another benefit, and so on and so on. Again, this is here in the US, but you can get a whole lot of free stuff once you get on welfare. I think that is what the other poster is so bitterly resenting.

DD and I were talking about this a couple of days ago. She and her husband are both on above average salaries but she says she is beginning to worry about how they are going to pay the bills. They have two children, don't smoke or drink, and both drive very elderly cars. I don't remember when they last had a holiday. I'm OK at the moment but it looks as if I shall have to start using my savings. It's nice to have savings but this is not what they were intended for. I got important work that needs to be done to the house, but I shall have to postpone it until we see how things are going.

I think it's fair everyone gets a leg up.
But please, no payments to second/third homes etc. That is ridiculous.
I have my boiler switched off at the moment. I switch it on when I need hot water. I am DREADING the winter. I'm north of the border. I have to put the boiler on to stop the pipes freezing.
It really will be heat or eat for me. I did try speaking to my supplier about the amount they'd increased my DD to. The operative decided I wasn't agreeing to the new amount and tried to put me through to collections..... at that point I owed a total of £11 fgs. Ridiculous.

It's fair inasmuch as they would have been stuck on £85 if the prices had come down, and anyone could have fixed. It's a bit like a fixed rate mortgage - you take your chance.

I don't think that basics like this should be a gamble, though. The price should be fixed by the government and not include huge profits.

Friends who are both oaps, fixed their energy price just before the sh*t hit the fan. They have fixed for £85/month for 2 years but are eligible for any help from the government eg £400. Our supplier went bust 4 weeks before the end of our contract.
We are now paying £255/month and are also oaps. Is that fair? But how would you sort those who need help against those who don't?

Is petrol/diesel cheap now given the cost of gas and electricity?

Well I live in a two wage earner household where our joint incomes are around £45k. We are struggling, and will struggle even more during the winter, where do we sign up?

grannyscott, are you suggesting that people with higher incomes have worked harder than the low-paid? Surely this depends on what kind of work you have chosen to go into. Some areas of the caring profession still don't pay much for all that it's back-breaking work, but many people who work their socks off in those jobs feel their work is more "ethical" than, say, a hedge fund manager.

karmalady

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

Indeed. Everyone should be entitled to same help.

Energy price is up to everyone. To no fault of their own.

Why not nationalise them, so a small profit goes back into investment, and we pay for what we use plus workers' wages, not shareholders' profits?