Standing Charges on Utility Bills

^The increase in standing charges is to compensate the companies who had to take on the failed ones

So lets get this right. Private companies who were poor at business went bankrupt. The existing companies gained a whole lot of new business and WE have to pay THEM for that?

This is something that needs looking into.^

This is correct! I was so fuming about the increase in the daily standing charge that I emailed Ofgem asking for an explanation. They confirmed that ‘part of’ the increase is indeed to pick up the mess (my word, not theirs) left by the inept energy companies going bust. These were companies that should have been properly regulated by Ofgem - the energy regulatory body - and were not! Recently there was an excellent investigative programme on TV examining this issue. It was either Panorama or Dispatches - can’t remember which. It was eye-opening! So, the increases in standing charge and cost per KWh are NOT wholly due to global energy prices / war in Ukraine / infrastructure, despite what we are constantly being told. We, the consumer, are paying for the failed business model of allowing energy to become ‘fair game’ on the open market in the UK. NATIONALISE, so there’s one price for all, and we pay for what we use, not for the abject failure of private companies - personally, I prefer that as a business model!

LizzieDrip

^The increase in standing charges is to compensate the companies who had to take on the failed ones

So lets get this right. Private companies who were poor at business went bankrupt. The existing companies gained a whole lot of new business and WE have to pay THEM for that?

This is something that needs looking into.^

This is correct! I was so fuming about the increase in the daily standing charge that I emailed Ofgem asking for an explanation. They confirmed that ‘part of’ the increase is indeed to pick up the mess (my word, not theirs) left by the inept energy companies going bust. These were companies that should have been properly regulated by Ofgem - the energy regulatory body - and were not! Recently there was an excellent investigative programme on TV examining this issue. It was either Panorama or Dispatches - can’t remember which. It was eye-opening! So, the increases in standing charge and cost per KWh are NOT wholly due to global energy prices / war in Ukraine / infrastructure, despite what we are constantly being told. We, the consumer, are paying for the failed business model of allowing energy to become ‘fair game’ on the open market in the UK. NATIONALISE, so there’s one price for all, and we pay for what we use, not for the abject failure of private companies - personally, I prefer that as a business model!

??????????

My standing charges are 49p/day for electricity and 26p/day for gas. I am in Glasgow and we are with Eon next.
Our tariff ended at the beginning of the year when according to Money Saving Expert we would be better not to take on another contract but pay the price cap.
We are being charged 27p/KWh for electricity and 4p/KWh for gas. I suppose that is the price cap?
I really need to re investigate this and shop around. Any advice or suggestions are most welcome.

No doubt to pay the shareholders their 30 pieces of silver as well! Just another way to scam the consumer.