Better energy deal for Scunthorpe area households unveiled

“It will be a real rip off, 4 tarrifs, fixed, variable, prepayment meter and economy 7, that's four, not much good if you want to choose fixed price/term tarrifs as there would only be one so people could not plan ahead to lock into best deals. I was shocked when I noticed Direct Debit cheapest, Prepayment Meter next then Quarterly Bills are most expensive tarrifs, looks like others are subsidising Prepayment Meters which are the most expensive to provide, expensive meters and having to produce the key/cards, then shops selling them will get a cut.
Should work out bills for 3 bed semi's, divide by kWh's used to get average kWh cost then use that for all kWh's used instead of the two tier tarrif. This would be cheaper for poor and low users, stay about the same for average users but a bit dearer for high users (call it Geen Tax for producing more CO2). Cameron first stated one with standing charge but that would be expensive for low users and old/poor people as they raise it in price increases to hit the poor. I have done checks on every increase and the less you use the higher the percentage on increase, the higher user you are the lower the percentage of increase, weighted if fave of high users/wasters.
They can deliver, meter and take credit cards for payment for petrol/diesel at same price for each litre so why not the same for gas and electricity, it would make it harder for them to fiddle us with average percentage increase, an 8% increase would be the same for every one. They could still offer all tarrifs so people can choose they best offer for them and best payment method. They could still offer discounts for Monthly Direct Debit, Dual Fuel, Online Tarrifs and loyalty discount if you stay with same supplier for a given time. This way every one could read their meter and know what each digit on meter has cost them so easier to budget, to calculate gas kWh per meter unit it is clearly set out on rear of bill.
Maybe the goverment and power suppliers should offer some form of education to teach people how to read their meters and understand their bills, it's simple once you have it explained to you.
They should teach kids at shhool how to do it then they can teach parents and grandparents.”

“what percentage is added to utility bills to account for theft/non payment?”

“JohnJohn2011,
RWE nPower, Eon, EDF, Scottish and Southern Electric, Drax Group and Centrica.
How many of these companies are British owned and, pray tell, how you would wrest ownership off the foreign companies in order to nationalise them?”

“Apparently the government says a single person can survive on just over £70.00 a week and pay all bills except council tax and rent / mortgage interest. However most MP's blow well over £100 a day on expenses, the grub and coffee bill will be near to £50.”

“JohnJohn2011, Full support on this one , Take it all back into public sector gas , electric , water , All privatization has done has bled the working classes . Can anyone tell me how privatization has help this country,What benefit has it given us ??? Bigger bills”

“A crazy idea, people who are already on good tariffs will end up paying a lot more to subsidise those who can't be bothered to switch.

Nothing for pre-payment customers either, they pay far too much considering they can't get into debt.

Most companies have a social tariff that they don't advertise. eg Scottish Power have one for pensioners on a low income, it tracks their lowest tariff. ie It always matches their lowest available tariff and is checked daily. The other companies have similar products but don't like to tell us.”

“All utilities should be back under state (our) control, the system today is obviously a rip off for the general public and small business alike. If you take the time to look you should be able to find out what you are paying for gas per cubic meter or electricity per kilowatt hour compared to the other suppliers. Also why can't the charges be set at one price for kwh & cm used instead of a higher & lower level which makes it more expensive for the for the person that uses less energy. I appreciate that the energy provider (private or people owned) have to make a profit that enables re-investment in the infrastructure, the question is what is the correct level of profit. It really should be very simple, as a supplier you should be able to sell at cost plus government imposed maximum that only allows for re-investment only and not share holders over seas.”

“Baths Hall during a slow week ?”

“Who has an electric bill for £10,676. ?”

“Seems like another ripoff , Should never have been privatized same pipes cables yet different tariffs price for units should be set by government , But no its about people with investments . When it was nationalized owned by the state it was fine we all paid the same .”