Standing Charges ?

[Observer II]

I frankly can't believe that the energy companies have consulted on increases in standing charges, as it simply provides no incentive to reduce demand in the interest of climate change.  Surely, the weight of charging should fall on actual usage as an incentive to reduce energy consumption ?   If standing charges are used to finance new infrastructure, surely that should be funded across the board and not localised ?   Apparently they are £40 in London but much greater up North.  I get the impression that our utilities are solely interested in their shareholders at the expense of customers, and without adequate investment in service provision .    😠

[Confused52]

The consultation was by Ofgem. Their reasoning was that the costs are not shared fairly by using consumption alone. The electricity network away from the SE is more overhead and subject to weather damage up here and that costs more. Read the consultation yourself.

[Observer II]

Seems it depends on one's interpretation of "fair".    

[Bill]

I don’t understand why the standing charge should be lower in London when it’s supposedly a national grid. Leaving that aside though, it’s a balance thing where on one side you have those struggling to pay and on the other, those rich enough to invest in energy saving. Tip the scales too far towards those that can afford it and you automatically penalize those that can’t.

If you’ve got money to invest, then going solar can still give you a good return especially when you consider the cost of a system is now only half what is was just a few years back. Increasing the standing charge has increased my bill for sure but I’ll always be paying less than those without solar. It might only average out to be a pound or so a day with my small-scale system, but it all adds up over the year.   

While most look at solar as a personal investment, there are some like myself that see it as not only helping myself but also helping others by helping to ensure the security and stability of the country’s energy supply.

 

Bill 😊

[Observer II]

If we ever get to a stage where our politicians prioritise the National interest of the Country and it's indigenous population,  we would secure a fair and affordable national energy supply, likewise a clean and healthy water supply and sewage free water courses etc.  When they've finished with the self harm of economic sanctions on Russia and the insanity of net-zero, they will ensure that our people are worse off than their parents were.   😠