The Winter of Discontent #3 Food, energy, transport, jobs, housing, cost of living etc

[Anne1448]

@People-huv-tae-know was talking about Scottish heating bills at the end of the last thread. In the Highlands there's still quite widespread use of a tariff called Total Heating Total Control, which has two meters, one for normal electricity and a second circuit for all your storage heaters which is on a cheaper rate but is only given power at the times of day SSE deems it coldest in your area - you get between 5 and 12 hours of power on it.

SSE is stopping supporting it soon and will be switching everyone onto single meters and new tariffs. Our 3 bed house uses approximately 12,000 kwh a year with us both working from home and we currently pay £239 a month. I can't even get estimates from the comparison sites on what it's going to go up to from April, but going by the estimates I've seen friends getting on normal meters, I'm expecting to be paying around £500 a month. Hopefully not as much as this poor lady in Shetland, who got the below from SSE last week.
View attachment 1004322

Holy mother of God!

This is half people's wages in some parts of the country.

I can't fathom anyone paying that comfortably without making sacrifices.

 

[emmer_moans]

We'll end up with civil unrest if energy prices become like half of a typical wage. This is just not going to work for most of us really, is it?! We are told we should be saving money for our futures/ future care needs etc but then they want 100s a month for the very basic human right of being warm. It's ridiculous and the government need to do something. I know we have to claw back money lost in pandemic but targeting the heating and energy is just punishment in my eyes. Tax the big corps!!

 

[Falkor]

I believe they're using electric storage heaters for heating rather than gas, so it's three times the price for heat generated if the off-peak pricing for electric is cancelled as appears to be. It needs an MP or MSP to raise it.

I presume in the Highlands a fair few houses are electric only? I'm pretty shocked they can get away with this. Not to rub salt in the wound bit storage heaters without off peak pricing is the worst of both worlds.

Yes, old storage heaters in the hall, kitchen and landing, an electric towel rail on the heating circuit in the bathroom (which is annoying because it's never on when I'm actually having a shower) and panel heaters on the normal circuit in the bedrooms and what was the dining room but is now Mr F's office. Only a log burner in the living room and that also does our hot water - we do have electric back up if needed, but that's never used in winter because the fire is lot most of the time.

We do get a reduced rate on the storage heater circuit, which uses about 8,000kwh a year, but that's gone from about 7p when we bought the house in 2008 to something like 16p now and the normal rate and standing charge aren't competitive. It's only in the last couple of years you've even been able to switch away from this tariff, because no other companies could cope with the two meter set up that wasn't economy 7.

A lot of houses in the Highlands run off oil, that's the other main fuel for heating, but it's also quite prone to theft - no one locks their tank round me, because it's better 'just' to have your oil taken and have to refill at c. £500 than your oil taken and your tank destroyed by someone hacking a hole in it with power tools.

It's somewhat ironic that we're surrounded by windfarms where I live (currently over 200 turbines in planning within 20 miles of me) and yet have some of the most expensive heating costs in the UK.

I am currently waiting for our builder to get back to me with a quote for ripping the house back to stone, insulating it properly and fitting an air source heat pump with underfloor heating, as well as building an extension, but he's so busy that he hasn't got back to me yet - he's had the plans since September.

Dreading what the bill for the village hall is going to be as well, which I'm treasurer for, as business tariffs are uncapped. I've seen renewal quotes of standing charge at £2 a day and 50p a kwh from other businesses in the area.

 

[rainbowlemon]

The milk at my local Sainsbury's has gone up by 10p to £1.70 for one of the larger bottles. Only up 6.25% .

 

[Jc456]

Tescos own brand chilled oat milk has gone from 95p to £1.10

 

[Jc456]

My rent is going up 4.1% from April

 

[HammyMcHamFace]

My rent is going up 4.1% from April

Do you private rent or social housing? I'm social housing and it goes up every year with inflation, not sure how much this year tho

 

[Jc456]

Do you private rent or social housing? I'm social housing and it goes up every year with inflation, not sure how much this year tho

I'm social, this is the email I had. It'll only be £40 cheaper a month than my private rental was and 1 less bedroom than I had

Do you pay service/estate charges? That'll probably go up too

 

[HammyMcHamFace]

I'm social, this is the email I had. It'll only be £40 cheaper a month than my private rental was and 1 less bedroom than I had

Do you pay service/estate charges? That'll probably go up too

I just pay rent. I don't think I pay service charges. I'm going to check my housing account.

 

[Jc456]

I just pay rent. I don't think I pay service charges. I'm going to check my housing account.

Mines a new build so has a fee for hedge and grass cutting, road repairs etc. I think it's about £5pw, all the privately owned houses pay it too

 

[HammyMcHamFace]

Mines a new build so has a fee for hedge and grass cutting, road repairs etc. I think it's about £5pw, all the privately owned houses pay it too

I just checked. I dont have to pay standing charge. My house is old though. Was built when the town was built back in the 60s.

 

[Jc456]

I just checked. I dont have to pay standing charge. My house is old though. Was built when the town was built back in the 60s.

Yea it's a new build thing, I'm not sure it's until the council adopt the road or if there will always be a charge

 

[Anne1448]

My rent is going up 4.1% from April

I totally feel you.

My rent went up 12% and I was fuming. Thankfully I only pay less than 1000€ compared to the average 1500€ rent in my city.

Ireland is just the wild west when it comes to rents.

 

[Jc456]

I totally feel you.

My rent went up 12% and I was fuming. Thankfully I only pay less than 1000€ compared to the average 1500€ rent in my city.

Ireland is just the wild west when it comes to rents.

Wow that's a huge increase!!

 

[IngressUK]

Shades of 1984 in the Tesco Clubcard Pay+ advert.




Although nothing new from Tesco. Just another Google/Apple/Samsung Pay type system.

 

[Anne1448]

Wow that's a huge increase!!

Yeah it is insane.

Which is why I am saving like a mad woman to buy my house this year.

 

[Thank(space)you]

My friend keeps telling me to switch from eon to octopus energy but am I right in thinking that won't save me money?

 

[Jc456]

My friend keeps telling me to switch from eon to octopus energy but am I right in thinking that won't save me money?

I think they are possibly very slightly below the price cap. If your friend is with them they'll get £50 for you signing up. I they offer cheaper rates for customers so may be worth it for the next increase in the price cap.
I'll be moving from e.on as soon as my problem is sorted, if it ever is

 

[JOHN1967]

I think they are possibly very slightly below the price cap. If your friend is with them they'll get £50 for you signing up. I they offer cheaper rates for customers so may be worth it for the next increase in the price cap.
I'll be moving from e.on as soon as my problem is sorted, if it ever is

I was going to say maybe she might get something for getting you to join, you beat me to it.

 

[Falkor]

Octopus has currently got big notices on its website saying they don't recommend anyone switches at the moment.