Fuel bills crisis

[mel b3]

Morning guys.

Over the last few weeks , the press seem to be in a frenzy over the soon to come rise in gas and electricity prices . 

Is this something that's a real worry ?  ,or is it just the press trying to whip the country into a frenzy ?.

The reason I'm asking , is that I'm not in the slightest bit worried,  that my cost of living is going up by £600 a year , and I'm starting to worry about the fact that I'm not worried,  and I'm starting to think that I must be missing the point , and that things could go wrong , and I won't be ready for it( I always like to plan in advance , as I don't like nasty little surprises).

The reasons that I'm not worried for myself,  is that in the grand scheme of things , £600( spread over a year) is neither here nor there , and the reason that I'm not worried for others , is that even the people that I know personally are on even lower incomes than me ,   are still managing to have holidays , go out for meals , go fishing or shooting , run cars , etc  , so don't seem to be in financial dire straits. 

Am I missing the point , and should I be worried?.

[WalkedUp]

An extra £600 bill is a lot if money to some of us. Especially as our salaries are not inflation linked. 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Mel, it is coming and perhaps giving the press and media a bit of "benefit of the doubt", they may be helping people plan for the inevitable.

I and many like me will get a £150 rebate on our council tax.

There will be a "loan" of £200 against the energy costs and that will be paid back over 5 years.

I too am not overly worried about it, just keeping a watching eye on the developing situation.

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by TIGHTCHOKE
SYNTAX!

[Walker570]

Just have to "Cut our cloth" as the saying goes.  I remember petrol at two shillings and ninepence a gallon ...GALLON not litre... prices do go up I'm afraid. Remember being in Texas when the petrol there went to one dollar a gallon.... just over 50p in our money, that's about 50p back then in 1989 BUT would you believe it we all survived.

The media need a new subject...new story to scare the scaredy cats amongst us and this one fits the bill. 

[bishop]

19 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

Morning guys.

Over the last few weeks , the press seem to be in a frenzy over the soon to come rise in gas and electricity prices . 

Is this something that's a real worry ?  ,or is it just the press trying to whip the country into a frenzy ?.

The reason I'm asking , is that I'm not in the slightest bit worried,  that my cost of living is going up by £600 a year , and I'm starting to worry about the fact that I'm not worried,  and I'm starting to think that I must be missing the point , and that things could go wrong , and I won't be ready for it( I always like to plan in advance , as I don't like nasty little surprises).

The reasons that I'm not worried for myself,  is that in the grand scheme of things , £600( spread over a year) is neither here nor there , and the reason that I'm not worried for others , is that even the people that I know personally are on even lower incomes than me ,   are still managing to have holidays , go out for meals , go fishing or shooting , run cars , etc  , so don't seem to be in financial dire straits. 

Am I missing the point , and should I be worried?.

I would not wish genuine poverty on anyone. Been there done that as the saying goes.Its perhaps something you have to experience whereby ten quid is a life saver let alone six hundred.

[discobob]

the thing that is worrying me is that the Government isn't doing anything except muting free cash - which as we all know isn't free - £200 for bills will equate to £500 taxes in the long run.

Don't forget that £600 is net though - so that is roughly £900 out of salary for standard rate tax payers. 

[ditchman]

1 minute ago, Walker570 said:

Just have to "Cut our cloth" as the saying goes.  I remember petrol at two shillings and ninepence a gallon ...GALLON not litre... prices do go up I'm afraid. Remember being in Texas when the petrol there went to one dollar a gallon.... just over 50p in our money, that's about 50p back then in 1989 BUT would you believe it we all survived.

The media need a new subject...new story to scare the scaredy cats amongst us and this one fits the bill. 

agree with both walker and titechoke

3 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Mel, it is coming and perhaps giving the press and media a bit of "benefit of the doubt", they may be helping people plan for the inevitable.

I and many like me will get a £150 rebate on our council tax.

There will be a "loan" of £200 against the energy costs and that will be paid back over 5 years.

I too am not overly worried about it, just keeping a watching eye on the developing situation.

 

as said the media is once again trying to manage the polotics of this country....not reporting on the situation as they should be............so here we are all are, these crisis going on in a global scale ,,,,,,and what are the politicos doing............point scoring on cheese and wine parties in downing street........not for the good of this country but making connections to further their economic carreer

they have got to properly get to grips with this current crisis......there are alot of votes hanging on this.........

[mel b3]

19 minutes ago, WalkedUp said:

An extra £600 bill is a lot if money to some of us. Especially as our salaries are not inflation linked. 

I totally agree that it's not a small amount , and I certainly don't want to spend any more of my hard earned than I need to , but , spead over a year ,  it just doesn't strike me as anything to worry about.

5 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Mel, it is coming and perhaps giving the press and media a bit of "benefit of the doubt", they may be helping people plan for the inevitable.

I and many like me will get a £150 rebate on our council tax.

There will be a "loan" of £200 against the energy costs and that will be paid back over 5 years.

I too am not overly worried about it, just keeping a watching eye on the developing situation.

 

I've seen the talk of rebates etc , I can only assume that I'll get naff all as usual.

3 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Just have to "Cut our cloth" as the saying goes.  I remember petrol at two shillings and ninepence a gallon ...GALLON not litre... prices do go up I'm afraid. Remember being in Texas when the petrol there went to one dollar a gallon.... just over 50p in our money, that's about 50p back then in 1989 BUT would you believe it we all survived.

The media need a new subject...new story to scare the scaredy cats amongst us and this one fits the bill. 

This is the way that I'm seeing it . Well just tighten our belts a bit in other ways.

I'm more worried about the fact that I'm not worried,  if that makes sense . I'm worried that something that I can't see,  is going to sneak up on me and bite me on the xxxx.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Mel your house is in a qualifying band.  

 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/02/some-households-could-get-up-to-p350-in-a-council-tax-to-deal-wi/

Edited February 4, 2022 by TIGHTCHOKE
LINKAGE!

[mel b3]

7 minutes ago, bishop said:

I would not wish genuine poverty on anyone. Been there done that as the saying goes.Its perhaps something you have to experience whereby ten quid is a life saver let alone six hundred.

Been there , done it , and got the t shirt . That's what's always driven me to make sure that I never end up in that situation ever again . I put a lot of store in hard work and forward planning. 

[snow white]

Walker I remember serving petrol at 4 gallons for a pound note back in early sixties and a shot of redx for a penny 

[Yellow Bear]

2 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

Been there , done it , and got the t shirt . That's what's always driven me to make sure that I never end up in that situation ever again . I put a lot of store in hard work and forward planning. 

Exactly 👍

[mel b3]

4 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Mel your house is in a qualifying band.  

 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/02/some-households-could-get-up-to-p350-in-a-council-tax-to-deal-wi/

I shall take a good look at that in a bit dave👍.

This might sound backwards , but , I don't think that i need it , and I'd much rather is was given to someone that genuinely did need it .

I definitely seem to be missing the point of it all.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

10 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

I shall take a good look at that in a bit dave👍.

This might sound backwards , but , I don't think that i need it , and I'd much rather is was given to someone that genuinely did need it .

I definitely seem to be missing the point of it all.

Mel. just sit back and enjoy your reverie.  

[marsh man]

We tend to forget that fuel prices are only one thing that is certainly going up , add that on to just about everything else that we would normally buy on a weekly basis then it can and will be a concern , I do very little shopping but there are times when my wife ask me to pop in the super market on the way home to buy a few basic items , each time I go the cost seem to go up and up with things like milk and bread showing a sharp increase , add all those increases to each item in a full shopping trolly then for people on a low income it must be a worry .

[Stonepark]

Unfortunately they have spent the last 20 years ignoring the true issue of energy security and exportable surplus and instead we are relying on imported energy to stay afloat but that is purchased at "market prices" which are set by the highest bidder.

 

Gas provides 20% to 60% of our daily electricity demand depending on renewables out put and the reliance on this mainly foreign supplied fuel has put us at the mercy of others.

 

We really need to invest massively in Modular Molten Salt Reactor Nuclear plants, "unfortunately" these are completely useless for providing military weapons materials but are incredibly efficient and inherently safer than tradition nuclear power plants, using up to 99% of fuel compared to the 1% to 5% of traditional nuclear and material left over is safe in 300 years rather than 1000's of years.

 

With renewables providing a top up to baseload and an exportable surplus, this would drive UK energy prices down to cost of production, and cheap, abundent energy is what powers a society.

Edited February 4, 2022 by Stonepark

[Luckyshot]

1 hour ago, mel b3 said:

Morning guys.

Over the last few weeks , the press seem to be in a frenzy over the soon to come rise in gas and electricity prices . 

Is this something that's a real worry ?  ,or is it just the press trying to whip the country into a frenzy ?.

The reason I'm asking , is that I'm not in the slightest bit worried,  that my cost of living is going up by £600 a year , and I'm starting to worry about the fact that I'm not worried,  and I'm starting to think that I must be missing the point , and that things could go wrong , and I won't be ready for it( I always like to plan in advance , as I don't like nasty little surprises).

The reasons that I'm not worried for myself,  is that in the grand scheme of things , £600( spread over a year) is neither here nor there , and the reason that I'm not worried for others , is that even the people that I know personally are on even lower incomes than me ,   are still managing to have holidays , go out for meals , go fishing or shooting , run cars , etc  , so don't seem to be in financial dire straits. 

Am I missing the point , and should I be worried?.

Speak for yourself, £600 to me is 6 weeks wages so I suppose ill just have to to cut down to 1 meal a day instead of 2.

[Agriv8]

A footnote to add that increased tax receipts from  increased bills is helping sunak black hole ( ok it’s a very big hole ) .

5% tax on everyone’s 2k a year energy bill!

Agriv8

[Mungler]

The energy price hike is a result of the wholesale energy market setting a higher price and so angry letters should be sent to Mr Putin.

That being said, the government (and that includes all the European governments) should have seen this coming / should have committed not to being reliant on Putin, and measures such as nuclear and reversing the nonsense green energy / zero carbon policy direction.

Dig some goal out the ground and fire up the power stations and we’re sorted until summer. 

Everything’s going up though. They keep messing with the inflationary measured basket of goods to blur the edges but real world inflation looks to me to be north of 7% if not 8%. If it doesn’t settle down then more interest rate hikes will follow and then we’re going to be really in the brown stuff.

[mel b3]

42 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Mel. just sit back and enjoy your reverie.  

I reckon you're right dave   .  I've been taking too many bad back tablets , and sitting in front of the telly watching too much news  . I've watched so much of it that I'm starting to believe it all.

21 minutes ago, marsh man said:

We tend to forget that fuel prices are only one thing that is certainly going up , add that on to just about everything else that we would normally buy on a weekly basis then it can and will be a concern , I do very little shopping but there are times when my wife ask me to pop in the super market on the way home to buy a few basic items , each time I go the cost seem to go up and up with things like milk and bread showing a sharp increase , add all those increases to each item in a full shopping trolly then for people on a low income it must be a worry .

I have to agree MM , prices are very much on the up for just about everything  , and every one of us will have to tighten our belts , especially those of us on lower and fixed incomes  .   I was just concerned that I just wasn't getting the press hysteria over it all . 

You know when you see a zombie film , and the crowds of people are running away from the monsters , and in the middle of it all is a blind man , that isn't running , because he doesn't know what's happening?. Well I was starting to feel like the blind man .👍

[mel b3]

13 minutes ago, Luckyshot said:

Speak for yourself, £600 to me is 6 weeks wages so I suppose ill just have to to cut down to 1 meal a day instead of 2.

Please excuse me if my post came across as condescending or uncaring . I honestly didn't realise that anyone still had an income of £100 per week . I can completely understand how £600 per year would be such a financial burden,  and offer a most sincere apology if my post was in any way offensive. 👍

[Scully]

2 hours ago, mel b3 said:

Morning guys.

Over the last few weeks , the press seem to be in a frenzy over the soon to come rise in gas and electricity prices . 

Is this something that's a real worry ?  ,or is it just the press trying to whip the country into a frenzy ?.

The reason I'm asking , is that I'm not in the slightest bit worried,  that my cost of living is going up by £600 a year , and I'm starting to worry about the fact that I'm not worried,  and I'm starting to think that I must be missing the point , and that things could go wrong , and I won't be ready for it( I always like to plan in advance , as I don't like nasty little surprises).

The reasons that I'm not worried for myself,  is that in the grand scheme of things , £600( spread over a year) is neither here nor there , and the reason that I'm not worried for others , is that even the people that I know personally are on even lower incomes than me ,   are still managing to have holidays , go out for meals , go fishing or shooting , run cars , etc  , so don't seem to be in financial dire straits. 

Am I missing the point , and should I be worried?.

I’m with you Mel, totally unconcerned. It is what it is, and if we have to tighten our belts then so be it.
It’s not like we’re going to take to the streets is it? 🤷‍♂️

[discobob]

2 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

I definitely seem to be missing the point of it all

I think a lot of people are missing the point. It is the responsibility of our Government to make sure that we are protected from things like this - but no - they are on the "Net Zero" agenda - foook everybody and lets just throw away peoples money left right and center.

[Mungler]

5 minutes ago, discobob said:

I think a lot of people are missing the point. It is the responsibility of our Government to make sure that we are protected from things like this - but no - they are on the "Net Zero" agenda - foook everybody and lets just throw away peoples money left right and center.

Agreed. Net zero on that time table is just blowing our own toes off for so many different reasons. Bottom line, no one is getting any cheaper energy with net zero.

Edited February 4, 2022 by Mungler

[Smokersmith]

Shooting is rarely for free, so no surprise a majority people on here aren't overly concerned.

What is true is that those with marginal disposable incomes will really start to feel the squeeze.

Everything you potentially need to spend money on is going up ..

• Fuel (heating and transport),
• Food
• Interest rates will push up mortgage costs
• NI raise 

Even those folks who have some 'spare' ... will not have as much as they did.