No help on fuel bills!

[simo]

Looks like the government have caved in to the power of the fuel companys! I guess billions of pounds of profit isnt enough !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7599402.stm :mad:

[stevegrant]

It's the right decision long-term, IMO, because the Treasury simply cannot afford to pay out billions of pounds to everyone because they can't afford to pay their energy bills. They'd be setting a dangerous precedent... what happens in a year's time when the same percentage of the population who cannot afford to pay for energy then cannot afford to pay for food because the "help" that was given to them ended up being spent on Sky HD rather than paying the gas bill? Will everyone rally round and say that people should receive help to buy food?

 

I also don't see how they would legally impose any sort of windfall tax on those companies, as has been suggested.

[stevegrant]

It's the right decision long-term, IMO, because the Treasury simply cannot afford to pay out billions of pounds to everyone because they can't afford to pay their energy bills. They'd be setting a dangerous precedent... what happens in a year's time when the same percentage of the population who cannot afford to pay for energy then cannot afford to pay for food because the "help" that was given to them ended up being spent on Sky HD rather than paying the gas bill? Will everyone rally round and say that people should receive help to buy food?

 

I also don't see how they would legally impose any sort of windfall tax on those companies, as has been suggested.

[Gully]

People should stop being so weak, if heating costs go up, wear a jump, sleep in a sleeping bag. If electricity goes up, watch less tv or do something non electricity based. If people did this then prices would start to fall.

[Gully]

People should stop being so weak, if heating costs go up, wear a jump, sleep in a sleeping bag. If electricity goes up, watch less tv or do something non electricity based. If people did this then prices would start to fall.

[Eyes k8]

The government levies tax on fuel bills at about 8%. therefore the rise in domestic fuel bills has brought millions extra into the treasury. So whilst people have to make do with less, the government gets more. In effect a further stealth tax and a further increase in the percentage of wealth the government takes. What is needed is a restoration % wise to the tax levels of eight years ago. The alternative of not restoring our money will be a sharp drop in spending, followed by firms failing, followed by increased unemployment. I suspect apart from cosmetic gestures the government will seek to maintain its own spending power and essentially do nothing.

[Eyes k8]

The government levies tax on fuel bills at about 8%. therefore the rise in domestic fuel bills has brought millions extra into the treasury. So whilst people have to make do with less, the government gets more. In effect a further stealth tax and a further increase in the percentage of wealth the government takes. What is needed is a restoration % wise to the tax levels of eight years ago. The alternative of not restoring our money will be a sharp drop in spending, followed by firms failing, followed by increased unemployment. I suspect apart from cosmetic gestures the government will seek to maintain its own spending power and essentially do nothing.

[stevegrant]

People in this country (and I freely hold my hands up on this one as well) have taken energy supplies for granted for years.

 

Last year, I was working from home, and it was entirely normal for me during the day (i.e. peak time) to have:

 

:: 37" LCD TV on all day

:: Sky+ box on all day

:: Laptop or PC (or both!) on all day

 

All of those would then also be on all evening, perhaps along with the lights, heating and X-Box or Wii.

 

Now I commute to London and I'm generally too tired to spend too long watching TV or playing games in the evening, I suspect my next electricity bill is going to be tiny compared to my last one.

[stevegrant]

People in this country (and I freely hold my hands up on this one as well) have taken energy supplies for granted for years.

 

Last year, I was working from home, and it was entirely normal for me during the day (i.e. peak time) to have:

 

:: 37" LCD TV on all day

:: Sky+ box on all day

:: Laptop or PC (or both!) on all day

 

All of those would then also be on all evening, perhaps along with the lights, heating and X-Box or Wii.

 

Now I commute to London and I'm generally too tired to spend too long watching TV or playing games in the evening, I suspect my next electricity bill is going to be tiny compared to my last one.

[warsash saint]

Obscene that one day energy companies can hike up their prices by 40% then the following day announce hundreds of million £ profits. :mad: Makes me mad that these companies have more regard to their shareholders than some OAP freezing to death

 

About time we have some heathly competition...if not then cap their profits.

[warsash saint]

Obscene that one day energy companies can hike up their prices by 40% then the following day announce hundreds of million £ profits. :mad: Makes me mad that these companies have more regard to their shareholders than some OAP freezing to death

 

About time we have some heathly competition...if not then cap their profits.

[simo]

I shouldn't moan really as so far in the last 3 years due to our company making such large profits i have recieved 85 shares, 2 extra days holiday ,£100 cash and £250 to spend in the southern electric shop ! But it just goes to show how much power energy companys have over the government to get them back tracking on this idea!

[simo]

I shouldn't moan really as so far in the last 3 years due to our company making such large profits i have recieved 85 shares, 2 extra days holiday ,£100 cash and £250 to spend in the southern electric shop ! But it just goes to show how much power energy companys have over the government to get them back tracking on this idea!

[saints_is_the_south]

I shouldn't moan really as so far in the last 3 years due to our company making such large profits i have recieved 85 shares, 2 extra days holiday ,£100 cash and £250 to spend in the southern electric shop ! But it just goes to show how much power energy companys have over the government to get them back tracking on this idea!

 

Your round next then

[saints_is_the_south]

I shouldn't moan really as so far in the last 3 years due to our company making such large profits i have recieved 85 shares, 2 extra days holiday ,£100 cash and £250 to spend in the southern electric shop ! But it just goes to show how much power energy companys have over the government to get them back tracking on this idea!

 

Your round next then

[Block 18]

Obscene that one day energy companies can hike up their prices by 40% then the following day announce hundreds of million £ profits. :mad: Makes me mad that these companies have more regard to their shareholders than some OAP freezing to death

 

About time we have some heathly competition...if not then cap their profits.

 

Whilst it may be obscene at the end of the day it is their job to make a profit for their shareholders, so in fact they are a success. The people who have failed the common person is this and previous governments. The only way the government can make any difference is to renationalise the energy suppliers.

 

The original idea behind privatisation was to encorage competition, looks like its failed.

[Block 18]

Obscene that one day energy companies can hike up their prices by 40% then the following day announce hundreds of million £ profits. :mad: Makes me mad that these companies have more regard to their shareholders than some OAP freezing to death

 

About time we have some heathly competition...if not then cap their profits.

 

Whilst it may be obscene at the end of the day it is their job to make a profit for their shareholders, so in fact they are a success. The people who have failed the common person is this and previous governments. The only way the government can make any difference is to renationalise the energy suppliers.

 

The original idea behind privatisation was to encorage competition, looks like its failed.

[Guest Hacienda]

What really gets my goat about this "fuel crisis" is that it has been totally avoidable.

 

When they shut all the pits it was because there was enough gas under the North Sea to last us 100s of years, or so the Tories told us.

 

20 years later North Sea gas is running out, we import coal for power stations and gas from Russia and prices continue to rise.

 

We are an Island of coal and we don't use it.

 

Crazy.

[Guest Hacienda]

What really gets my goat about this "fuel crisis" is that it has been totally avoidable.

 

When they shut all the pits it was because there was enough gas under the North Sea to last us 100s of years, or so the Tories told us.

 

20 years later North Sea gas is running out, we import coal for power stations and gas from Russia and prices continue to rise.

 

We are an Island of coal and we don't use it.

 

Crazy.

[saintwarwick]

It's the right decision long-term, IMO, because the Treasury simply cannot afford to pay out billions of pounds to everyone because they can't afford to pay their energy bills. They'd be setting a dangerous precedent... what happens in a year's time when the same percentage of the population who cannot afford to pay for energy then cannot afford to pay for food because the "help" that was given to them ended up being spent on Sky HD rather than paying the gas bill? Will everyone rally round and say that people should receive help to buy food?

 

I also don't see how they would legally impose any sort of windfall tax on those companies, as has been suggested.

 

The government did it before in 1997, companies included: BAA, BG, BT, energy companies and water companies.

 

As for your first paragraph I agree it was the right decision but the government needs to look at the power industry and try to impose some form of capping system as the idea of privatisation was to encourage competition, now it's about how much they can make. Competition went out of the window years ago.

[Rattlehead]

I don't see what the fuss is about. So fuel costs have gone up £20 a month, or whatever it is? Whoop de doo.

[Al de Man]

What really gets my goat about this "fuel crisis" is that it has been totally avoidable.

 

When they shut all the pits it was because there was enough gas under the North Sea to last us 100s of years, or so the Tories told us.

 

20 years later North Sea gas is running out, we import coal for power stations and gas from Russia and prices continue to rise.

 

We are an Island of coal and we don't use it.

 

Crazy.

 

UK Governments rarely look beyond the next general election.

[TopGun]

What really gets my goat about this "fuel crisis" is that it has been totally avoidable.

 

When they shut all the pits it was because there was enough gas under the North Sea to last us 100s of years, or so the Tories told us.

 

20 years later North Sea gas is running out, we import coal for power stations and gas from Russia and prices continue to rise.

 

We are an Island of coal and we don't use it.

 

Crazy.

 

Whether you are a believer or not in climate change the simple fact is that coal is likely to be phased out as a major fuel source in western nations at least. In 2001 **** Cheney (surprise, surprise, Halliburton) as US VP relaxed the rules over there for new coal fired power stations and since then over 150 new applications have gone in but to date only a handful have been approved as individual states (both Dem & Rep) have counteracted Cheney's Act on enviro grounds. Cali etc. Pennsylvania is finding it hard to sell its coal these days.

 

Coal faces the same issues here. Proposed Kingsnorth power station being the obvious example. Until Carbon Capture technology is proven (probably via gas powered stations) coal is on its arse.

 

What I find astounding is that nobody is asking why the green tariff electricity prices are rising in line with the fossil fuel tariff prices... same supplier perhaps!!

 

I agree with Gordon Brown and Steve Grant (lol) about turning down the short term measures to alleviate fuel poverty... perople need to concentrate on energy efficiency in their own houses and that is where any govt help should be placed, rather than knock £150 off as a one off measure.

 

Bet I bored you all there!

Edited 5 September, 2008 by TopGun

[saintwarwick]

I don't see what the fuss is about. So fuel costs have gone up £20 a month, or whatever it is? Whoop de doo.

 

Try telling that to a pensioner who was struggling financially before the latest rise.

[JustMike]

this is more to do with the shareholders and the record dividend pay out, funny how they maintain that fuel prices sored etc etc yet they manage to all get huge payouts! fookers

[Poshie72]

I don't see what the fuss is about. So fuel costs have gone up £20 a month, or whatever it is? Whoop de doo.

 

Try telling that to a pensioner who was struggling financially before the latest rise.

 

And single parents like me. I have 3 kids, work full time and have to count every penny. An extra £20 a month is a lot to find, and it's not just fuel bills that have gone up. :smt091:mad:

[Rattlehead]

this is more to do with the shareholders and the record dividend pay out, funny how they maintain that fuel prices sored etc etc yet they manage to all get huge payouts! fookers

 

The owners of the respective companies who have risked their capital in order to earn such potential payouts? Well deserved IMO, I wish I had spotted it early enough.

 

PS soared

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

The owners of the respective companies who have risked their capital in order to earn such potential payouts? Well deserved IMO, I wish I had spotted it early enough.

 

PS soared

 

 

They were given the companies in management buyouts in the eighties. They have risked the square root of feck all.