Keir Starmer aka Captain Flip Flop

MayBee70

Eon had a great energy deal but, as you mentioned, the catch was I had to get a smart meter which I don’t want.

Maybee The three non-fix tariffs that are being flagged in MSE’s Cheap Energy Club all look good: EoN Next Pledge, EDF Energy Ensure and Octopus Tracker & Agile - although I'm not sure I have the nerve for the last one. The middle one looks good for low users (as I am) as it’s a discount on the standing charge.

The fix being offered by my current supplier makes no diffence if the new cap is a 10% increase. Cheap Energy Club (based on Cornwall Insighs latest) is projecting up 13% in which case I’d pay £3 a month more on the cap than the fix. Exit charges on the fix are £75 per fuel so I’m sticking with the cap for now.

All the flagged non-fixes and the fix by my current supplier require a smart meter. Obviously, the Octopus Tracker and Agile needs one. I’m not keen to have one for all the usual reported reasons of unreliablility of installation and operation but I am tempted by EDF Energy Ensure for the discount on the standing charges.

Ofgem set suppliers annual targets for installation and fine them when they miss. They all miss. I suspect voluntary take up has peaked and they are now left with the dogged refusniks! Total fines for missed 2022 targets were 10.8 million. That’s why suppliers pester us to have them.

It’s the standing charges that really bug me. When my heating is off, which is usually seven to eight months of the year, my standing charges are half my monthly bill.

In March 2024, Martin Lewis tweeted:

Standing charges! I know they drive many of you up the wall. I believe they're an unfair energy poll tax and a moral hazard that disincentivises people from cutting bills. I tweeted the other day how I've long been campaigning on this, and that it's Ofgem who sets them. Many of you said "surely the govt" can lower them. So I thought it worth me speedily bashing out a note, to explain the nightmare of the way these work, a lack of joined up government if you like. - Ofgem is an independent regulator set up by govt. It is set up to make these decisions, which involve commercial firms, at arms length from govt (and is judicial reviewable). - It was given the remit (even though many of its past DGs thought it a bad idea) to set up the price cap, and the price cap is what dictates the standing charges most people pay - Firms simply price at the cap (though could go lower but there's no competitive incentive for most to do so) - After years of pushing Ofgem is finally consulting on the standing charge, and the response from the public has been enormous. - Yet some charities, including the venerable Citizens Advice, are worried that if you lower standing charge (which by definition would increase the unit rates as this is just about where you put the fixed costs) vulnerable high use customers, eg those with disabilities or medical needs, would suffer. The obvious path through this is of course... A) lower standing charges as its a moral hazard and B) at the same time provide specific help to those vulnerable higher users when you do. The problem is Ofgem is responsible for A and the government is responsible for B. Yet these things don't usually work in concert (I've an imminent meeting with Sec of State for energy where I will be pushing for just that) so Ofgem will struggle to decide to drop standing charges without factoring in the vulnerable high users because it has no power to do anything about that independently. So it would have to decide to drop standing charges, and hope the govt does something, but that is unlikely to be a route regulators can base their decisions on. Which is why I'm worried unless the two act together, nothing will happen. It's a frustrating situation.

The last MSE update on this:

Update: Tuesday 28 May 2024: While the gist of this MSE News story on energy regulator Ofgem's standing charges review still stands, you can no longer respond to the call for evidence as the review closed on 19 January 2024 – though we're still awaiting Ofgem's final response.

With the election and change of government, I suspect it may all be up in the air again but there's definitely scope for postitive change if something can be worked out to help vulnerable higher users.

Dickens

Quokka

Removing a payment from those who really don’t need it to fund something else? What’s wrong with that?

Because those who are just above the PC cut-off point more than likely do need the WFA. These are the pensioners we are talking about.

Perhaps the answer is to firstly encourage those who are entitled to PC to apply for it? It appears there are many who have no idea they are eligible.

Sadly, no matter where you draw the line some will always fall outside it.

Eon had a great energy deal but, as you mentioned, the catch was I had to get a smart meter which I don’t want.

Moneysavingexpert has a weak prediction of a 10% rise in the energy cap on 1 October 2025 and crystal ball gazing that it will remain unchanged on 1 January 2025.

There's a list there of current deals. Some have some hefty exit fees if you want to get out of a fixed deal. Some deals require a smart meter so bear that in mind if you have strong feelings about that. Some want you to switch to their broadband and mobile phone network. Some are supplier names I've never heard of so I doubt their resilience in the face of market shocks.

There's a handy calculator where you just enter your kWh usage or monthly spend per fuel together with the unit rates and standing charges for the deals being offered to see if a fix is:

• strongly worth considering,
* worth considering,
* borderline or
* not worth considering.

There's also stripped back calculator for Cheap Energy Club members which does take into account the July changes. Free and easy to join. Try both:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/are-there-any-cheap-fixed-energy-deals-currently-worth-it/

Does anyone know if we need to shop around for a new energy deal now? I’m sure that Martin Lewis said a while back that with prices still fluctuating it wasn’t a good idea to get into a fixed rate contract..Maerion, thank you for your informative posts. I’m afraid that, since the referendum I tend to get very wound up and emotional about political stuff.

Thank you Wyllow for your kind words upthread and to Elegran, yes I agree with you. I'm a numbers person who budgets and accounts for spending very careful and tries to make sense of what's going on! Thing is with the state pension, we are always playing catch up. Whatever the situation in September we don't get the benefit of it until the following April by which time other bills may be going up. Through careful shopping around for energy deals, home and car insurance, broadband so on, I find it fairly easy to keep costs broadly the same year on year (no escaping council tax rises) but not everybody has to strength to do it. It's tough if you aren't internet savvy or hearing is poor to deal with this over the phone or don't have family to help. I think we need more local advisors who can help people make sure they claim the benefits they are entitled to and help people negotiate the maze of better deals. I don't know to what extent CAB and Age UK are able to help. If only we could clone Martin Lewis and have one on duty in every community centre in the country.

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Elegran
Then the cut-off point is in the wrong place, or the basic pension is basically not high enough.

Yes. So the decision to move the cut off point or increase the basic pension, would have been better addressed before RR doing something which KS had previously condemned.

GrannyGravy13

GrannyGravy13

Casdon

You don’t have to receive universal credit to get child allowance for your first two children though GrannyGravy, it’s a separate benefit, sliding scale based on income?

I know that?

You do not need to be on Universal Credit to get child/family allowance for the first two children or for any subsequent children.

The cap is that Universal Credit does not give any extra money for above two children. This is totally different from child/family allowance.

I see what you mean, you’re right if course, but the point I was making was that people lost money when they had more than two children, whether they were working or not. It wasn’t means tested previously. People also lost money when the system changed to universal credit - so there were two separate policies that affected people.

In recent months I’ve over used the nhs. I had a colonoscopy. Then fall that resulted in a fracture. Just recovering from that when serious abdominal surgery was needed. I’m a permanent rheumatology patient and take meds they preecribe, as well as various meds for atrial fib.
My treatment was excellent as was the level of care at my local hospital. I was given verbal feedback on the colonoscopy immediately, some issues but no cancer.
The fracture had me triaged in 10 mins to the quieter minor injuries unit. I was seen within the hour, sent off to radiology where 4 X-rays were done. Seen back in the clinic and the arm/shoulder put in a sling. Then to physio where I was assessed and given exercise.
2 weeks later reviewed, further X-ray confirmed no surgery needed. Back to the hospital physio. Exercise sheet and referral to physio close to home. 4 months treatment - excellent
The only concern was poor support/advice from the private hospital where my abdo surgery was done under the NHS. They put the wrong operation on my discharge letter and gave me incorrect advice on pain relief. I phoned and all was resolved by a good senior nurse
My rheumatology nurse phoned to see how I was and discuss me restarting the treatment which I’d had to stop because of the risk of infection with surgery (the meds lower my immune system)
I’m not disputing the awful mess our nhs is in. But praise where deserved

GrannyGravy13

Casdon

You don’t have to receive universal credit to get child allowance for your first two children though GrannyGravy, it’s a separate benefit, sliding scale based on income?

I know that?

You do not need to be on Universal Credit to get child/family allowance for the first two children or for any subsequent children.

The cap is that Universal Credit does not give any extra money for above two children. This is totally different from child/family allowance.

Casdon

You don’t have to receive universal credit to get child allowance for your first two children though GrannyGravy, it’s a separate benefit, sliding scale based on income?

I know that?

In defence of the NHS;my partner fell down his stairs on Saturday. Top to bottom onto a tiled floor. A phone call to 111 resulted in an appointment at A&E. Was seen straight away on arrival and wasn’t allowed to leave until he’d had 3 ct scans (as one nurse said, you’re not leaving here until we know for sure there’s no bleeding on your brain). Following that a phone call to his GP resulted in an appointment the following day with a physio. Given exercises and reassurance and told to see him again if necessary. Having not had any dealings with the NHS for years ( apart from vaccinations) I was amazed at the speed and efficiency. Talking to my daughter yesterday she said her main problem recently has been how impossible it has been to get an ambulance when you really need one. One thing we have learned is to have the phone number of a good reliable taxi service to hand, preferably one that has yellow cabs as well as cars.

Dickens

Quokka

Removing a payment from those who really don’t need it to fund something else? What’s wrong with that?

Because those who are just above the PC cut-off point more than likely do need the WFA. These are the pensioners we are talking about.

Then the cut-off point is in the wrong place, or the basic pension is basically not high enough. If, as Maerion says, the triple lock will see to it that there is a pension rise high enough to offset the loss of the WFP, then as soon as that rise begins, the effect of the loss will stop. The question then is, what will be done in the interim to tide over those pensioners who will be hit by the loss until the (hopefully) pension rise but are not eligible for pension credit?

The fact that Starmer approves of it, now he’s in power, using the same excuse for doing it as Sunak was using, but challenged Sunak not to do it because it was wrong, is incontrovertible, no matter how many those were different times
or
not everybody agrees with the way it has been done
twists/excuses that appear.

Starmer challenged Sunak for proposing to remove the WFA as it was wrong.
Starmer plans to do exactly that.

LizzieDrip

Me too Doodledog!

What does that mean Mollygo. I’m obviously not as up to speed with the emojis as you

Look up red worm emoji meaning. Mean is being kind.

In the interview Starmer said the Labour Party is committed to the triple lock. Bookmark that.

My understanding of Labour policy on the triple-lock is that they confirmed they would match the Tories’ commitment to it until 2028 (not sure if that means the 2028-29 fiscal year, or 27-28).

Thank you Maerion. Your posts are always full of information and I managed to understand the bit on pensions!

Although dissent is clearly necessary

Not dissent but dosset

maddyone I really despair of some aspects of NHS care. The local surgery took no interest in my request for an updated prescription for a friend who had been discharged from hospital 2 weeks ago. Despite my passing information to them, the gp still signed prescriptions for out of date medications. I had to phone the ward to ask them to email discharge letter to the surgery. The gp’s receptionist refused any involvement.
The local pharmacy then had to ask the pharmacist attached to the surgery to expedite signing the new prescription to avoid a gap in supply.
Not only that, my local pharmacist was very concerned that two dissent boxes of medication had to be destroyed because no one had informed the pharmacy that my friend had been hospitalised.
The service is at rock bottom ….

Words used in 2022 have been used to say that Starmer "flip flopped" on a direct promise apparently made recently, when he did not, and the accusation has been made on spurious grounds.

Just to correct slightly what you said there Wyllow. See my post on page 10. This provides a link to the original whole interview that Starmer did for Good Housekeeping magazine that the clip comes from. The interview was in April 2024 but Starmer’s remarks about pensioners related to the economic situation in 2022 when the price of food and energy was rocketing. He talks about the economy being out of contol then and the need to stabilise prices - which is now happening.

It’s worth pointing out that the question that prompted the response was from a pensioner to Good Housekeeping saying that though state pension had gone up by 8.5% from April 2024, when the pension is low in the first place, 8.5% doesn’t amount to much - which prompted his anecdote from 2022 about the need to stabilise prices.

Thinking about it there was no need to hark back to 2022. That turbulent period has passed. A better answer would have been to discuss the relative value of the UK pension where we lag behind most other European countries but that's dangerous fiscal territory and this was local election time with a general election anticipated (albeit not yet announced). Easier to criticise the opposition - unfairly I think as they did a lot to help people during that crisis.

Inflation was at 11.1% in October 2022. It is now down to 2%. In the interview Starmer said the Labour Party is committed to the triple lock. Bookmark that.

Average earnings growth April-June 2024 was 5.4%. We shall see what effect that has on inflation in the longer term and we need to see the September 2024 numbers that the next triple lock will be based on, but factor in recent pay settlements and it’s looking like the pension increase in April 2025 could be higher than inflation.

Say the next triple lock does turn out to be based on 5.4%. That would give someone in receipt of basic state pension an extra £9.15 a week from April 2025 or £475 a year - as opposed to £4.75 a week or £220 a year if triple lock is only 2.5% - which is the minimum it can be even if inflation is below that. For basic rate taxpayers, that’s a net post-tax difference of £204 - the amount of WFP that is being withdrawn if you are under 80. If you don’t pay tax it’s a difference of £255.

At the time Reeves made her announcement about WFP, she may have taken this into account.

Most energy companies now operate a fixed direct debit system based on a rolling twelve month estimate of customers’ energy costs. In other words, we pay a bit more in the summer months to cover our extra winter costs. Energy companies now do our budgeting for us which, to my recollection, wasn’t what was happening 25 years ago when the WPF was introduced.

In a nutshell. what I’m saying is that if you budget on a weekly basis, an above inflation rise in pension should compensate for the loss of WFP - an argument towards withdrawing it next rather than this year so people can budget.

I hope your granddaughter gets her treatment very soon Wyllow.
Waiting for treatment is no picnic, as I know very well myself.
I think what the previous government did to the NHS is a disgrace. I’m not a Labour voter but I have no compunction in calling out what any government does if I think it is a bad policy. I understand perfectly well that Covid caused waiting lists to build up and I was prepared to be patient about that, but what has happened since is beyond acceptable. The NHS was one reason why I considered voting Labour at the last election, but in the end I didn’t. In any case I knew we were going to have a Labour government after the election and I’m absolutely expecting improvements in the NHS from them. I realise it will take time, and improvements will be too late to affect Wyllow’s granddaughter or myself, because we should both have had our surgery before that, but expectations are high and we shall hopefully see improvements in the next few years.

Quokka

Removing a payment from those who really don’t need it to fund something else? What’s wrong with that?

Because those who are just above the PC cut-off point more than likely do need the WFA. These are the pensioners we are talking about.

Me too Doodledog!

What does that mean Mollygo. I’m obviously not as up to speed with the emojis as you