Surely we must pay more taxes!?

BevSec

growstuff

Getting money to circulate more would result in more taxes being paid. That won't happen if a relatively small group of people hoard money they don't really need.

Define they dont really need? If someone gets a family inheritance, why should this be taken off them?

Surely it should be personal choice what people do with their inheritance.

growstuff hoarding? I disagree, I call it saving for retirement or a so called rainy day, we never know what is round the corner.

growstuff

Getting money to circulate more would result in more taxes being paid. That won't happen if a relatively small group of people hoard money they don't really need.

Define they dont really need? If someone gets a family inheritance, why should this be taken off them?

I see.

I’m paying 5.12 for gas and 22.26 for electricity with Octopus. I was with Ovo until last autumn. Prices to fix were around the same from both suppliers but Ovo had conditions attached to their fixes and Octopus don’t (no exit fees for a start) … plus someone offered me a £50 Refer-a-Friend credit.

A year before that, I was paying 7.02 for and 29.25 for electricity. Standing charges have increased but only by around £1.50 a month.

PoliticsNerd

growstuff

Barleyfields

My energy bills are higher and my consumption has not increased.

Inflation is on the increase PoliticsNerd, interest rates are therefore unlikely to be cut again for some time, the increased NI contributions, cuts in business rates relief and increased minimum wage will shortly find their way into increased costs of food, other items and services, and are causing job losses. More money has to be found for defence. We may face high tariffs on exports to the US. I really don’t know what causes you to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economy PoliticsNerd.

I'd change provider if I were you Barleyfields. I'm with OVO and unit prices have definitely gone down. Even with the increase in standing charges, I still pay less per unit for my fuel. You must have a rogue operator!

I've just been advised to reduce mind by over 20%.

I'm with Octopus, if that helps.

Sorry, I don't understand. What have you been advised to reduce?

Compare the unit prices on your bills from this month and the same month last year.

Mollygo

Growstuff
My combined energy bills are higher than this time last year and we have used around the same amount. Bear in mind the effort we have put into keeping warm by other ways because of the long stretches of bitterly cold weather, meaning we could keep our heating at 18° as we did last year.

In terms of gas, we are using less because we use an air fryer to cook, which does mean that we have used more electricity, but not enough to account for the overall increase in fuel bills.

Well, you're being fleeced by a rogue operator. Unit prices have reduced! You must be using more fuel.

Silverbrooks

GrannyGravy13

Sorry but Martin Lewis disagrees growstuff

He has been on the news this morning and with todays ofgem increase he estimates that the average energy bill increase will be £111 per annum.

That’s because the energy price cap has risen by £111 from £1,735 to £1,849. But the cap is only a guide based on what is deemed average use for a 2-3 bedroom home. I don’t spend anywhere near that.

Average users who have taken Martin Lewis’s advice, got off the price cap and fixed their prices won’t be paying this.

The cap last July was £1,568 so average users who fixed last summer/autumn will be be paying £281 less than the new cap.

I haven't fixed my prices (because I'm moving soon). I'm paying less not because I fixed my prices, but because the unit price has reduced since the same month last year - and it's there in black and white on my bills.

Growstuff
My combined energy bills are higher than this time last year and we have used around the same amount. Bear in mind the effort we have put into keeping warm by other ways because of the long stretches of bitterly cold weather, meaning we could keep our heating at 18° as we did last year.

In terms of gas, we are using less because we use an air fryer to cook, which does mean that we have used more electricity, but not enough to account for the overall increase in fuel bills.

Barleyfields

If exporters are faced with high tariffs from the US, has it not occurred to you growstuff that those extra expenses will feed through to the cost of products they sell here?

You seem to be a tad confused. You wrote of tariffs for exports to the US. Now you're writing about tariffs for imports from the US. Which do you mean?

GrannyGravy13

Sorry but Martin Lewis disagrees growstuff

He has been on the news this morning and with todays ofgem increase he estimates that the average energy bill increase will be £111 per annum.

That’s because the energy price cap has risen by £111 from £1,735 to £1,849. But the cap is only a guide based on what is deemed average use for a 2-3 bedroom home. I don’t spend anywhere near that.

Average users who have taken Martin Lewis’s advice, got off the price cap and fixed their prices won’t be paying this.

The cap last July was £1,568 so average users who fixed last summer/autumn will be be paying £281 less than the new cap.

However Reeves manages it she will need more tax, more savings and probably more borrowing to see us through.

growstuff

Barleyfields

My energy bills are higher and my consumption has not increased.

Inflation is on the increase PoliticsNerd, interest rates are therefore unlikely to be cut again for some time, the increased NI contributions, cuts in business rates relief and increased minimum wage will shortly find their way into increased costs of food, other items and services, and are causing job losses. More money has to be found for defence. We may face high tariffs on exports to the US. I really don’t know what causes you to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economy PoliticsNerd.

I'd change provider if I were you Barleyfields. I'm with OVO and unit prices have definitely gone down. Even with the increase in standing charges, I still pay less per unit for my fuel. You must have a rogue operator!

I've just been advised to reduce mind by over 20%.

I'm with Octopus, if that helps.

If exporters are faced with high tariffs from the US, has it not occurred to you growstuff that those extra expenses will feed through to the cost of products they sell here?

growstuff

Well, I disagree with Martin Lewis and I can send him the evidence in black and white.

I currently pay 24.35p per KWh for electricity and 5.96p per KWh. In the same month last year I paid 27.82p per KWh for electricity and 6.96p per KWh for gas.

I was definitely comparing energy under Tories to where we are under Labour. That seemed to be what pascal30 was talking about.

I do see bumps in the path ahead but that's not uncommon. It helps to be realistic about what, and how quickly government can manoeuvre the economy out of stormy waters into calm ones and allow for occasional unexpected storms - such as those created by Trump and other extremists.

How do exports to the US lead to higher tariffs for UK consumers? Baffled!

Barleyfields

My energy bills are higher and my consumption has not increased.

Inflation is on the increase PoliticsNerd, interest rates are therefore unlikely to be cut again for some time, the increased NI contributions, cuts in business rates relief and increased minimum wage will shortly find their way into increased costs of food, other items and services, and are causing job losses. More money has to be found for defence. We may face high tariffs on exports to the US. I really don’t know what causes you to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economy PoliticsNerd.

I'd change provider if I were you Barleyfields. I'm with OVO and unit prices have definitely gone down. Even with the increase in standing charges, I still pay less per unit for my fuel. You must have a rogue operator!

My energy bills are higher and my consumption has not increased.

Inflation is on the increase PoliticsNerd, interest rates are therefore unlikely to be cut again for some time, the increased NI contributions, cuts in business rates relief and increased minimum wage will shortly find their way into increased costs of food, other items and services, and are causing job losses. More money has to be found for defence. We may face high tariffs on exports to the US. I really don’t know what causes you to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economy PoliticsNerd.

PS. ML is talking about the future. PolitisNerd was comparing current prices with the past.

Well, I disagree with Martin Lewis and I can send him the evidence in black and white.

I currently pay 24.35p per KWh for electricity and 5.96p per KWh. In the same month last year I paid 27.82p per KWh for electricity and 6.96p per KWh for gas.

Sorry but Martin Lewis disagrees growstuff

He has been on the news this morning and with todays ofgem increase he estimates that the average energy bill increase will be £111 per annum.

Mollygo

Energy bills are lower?
Mine aren’t.
Neither are water bills, food bills, bus fares.

If they're not lower than they were last year, you must be using more fuel. The unit costs have reduced.

Energy bills are lower?
Mine aren’t.
Neither are water bills, food bills, bus fares.

pascal30

Perhaps this ineffectual finance minister could take the radical and obvious step of taxing the wealthy!!!

I have a mixed but cautiously optimistic view of the economy, with notable improvements in several key metrics compared to last year. Good start but a long way to go.

The news is that hiring is up, and above the increase this time last year. That although the economy is still very weak, it's better on every measure I can think of than this time last year gives me hope. Interest rates are lower, inflation is lower, energy bills are lower, pay is higher.

No wonder the Tories are so desperate to get rid of Rachel Reeves.

The state pension is a contributory benefit. This has been explained many times.

Many occupational pensions come from defined benefit schemes.

We need to move away from this notion that receiving a benefit is something only certain people do.