Energy Prices Rip Off: Fightback

[ALAN]

Since the start of 2008 average annual gas and electricity bills have risen
by 42 per cent. The big energy companies blamed it on the rising cost of
wholesale gas, electricity and crude oil. Wholesale gas prices did hit a
high in July 2008 but gas prices for delivery in December have dropped by
about 40 per cent.

Meanwhile the price of crude oil, which affects the price of gas the big
energy companies buy from abroad, is now worth just over a third of its
value in the summer and is at its lowest price for almost 2 years (January
2007). Despite this, there are few signs of energy prices reducing. So far
Scottish and Southern is the only energy company hinting that our bills
could be reduced, but it hasn't said by how much or exactly when.

This issue was raised on the BBC Watchdog programme tonight. It was
suggested that consumers write to CEOs of their energy suppliers demanding
to know when prices are going to be reduced.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2008/11/downloadable_letters_for_your.html

However, if recent experience of some banks failing to immediately pass on
interest reductions is any guide, does anyone believe that anything positive
will happen quickly without direct and robust Government intervention?

If you feel that we consumers are being ripped off by big business yet
again, may I suggest that your write or, even better, email your MP today -
list of email addresses are here
http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm

Demand that this scandal, which affects everyone, and at a time of year when
energy use is at its highest, is raised urgently on the floor of the House
of Commons - ideally at PM's question time on Wednesday. This matter
requires the direct and urgent intervention of the PM, as with the banks. We
want a substantial reduction in energy prices next week - not next year.

Whether anything positive will happen remains to be seen, but if we all just
sit there and do nothing then that is what we are likely to get.

If you want to join the fight back against this rip off, please email your
MP today. Also forward this message to all your email contacts and ask that
they do the same.

May the force be with you,


Alan


All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for enough good men
to do nothing - Edmund Burke

[BigWallop]

"ALAN" <***@REMOVETHISBITbtinternet.com> wrote in message news:gfsrg5$f36$***@news.motzarella.org...
<<<snipped>>>

Post by ALAN
All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for enough good men
to do nothing - Edmund Burke

Nice to see someone with a positive outlook on things. Although I do agree
that the pricing has gone a bit awry, it can not be sustained at that level
for much longer. People can not afford it, so it won't get paid, and thus
the energy suppliers will actually lose money through it.

It was a knee jerk reaction to an increase in the supply of the raw
materials. It must begin to drop for everyone to begin making money again,
including the suppliers of the raw materials. And it will happen very soon.
Wait for the Boxing Day Sales to come around. Then you'll see.

Now. Put the soap box back in the cupboard and have a nice cup'o'tea to
relax yersell, laddie :-)

[Brian Gaff]

You may say that, but many of us not earning money and reliant on
Government handouts, no matter how much we try to save money, simply cannot
sustain the current energy costs, and unless someone does something fast to
either drastically reduce the energy costs or increase benefits, there are
going to be a lot of tragic stories about people frezzing to death if the
weather gets cold this Winter.

I will be cutting off parts of my house to cut costs as I'm in a negative
cash flow situation. Christmas is cancelled.

Brian
--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: ***@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Post by BigWallop
<<<snipped>>>

Post by ALAN
All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for enough good

men

Post by ALAN
to do nothing - Edmund Burke

Nice to see someone with a positive outlook on things. Although I do agree
that the pricing has gone a bit awry, it can not be sustained at that level
for much longer. People can not afford it, so it won't get paid, and thus
the energy suppliers will actually lose money through it.
It was a knee jerk reaction to an increase in the supply of the raw
materials. It must begin to drop for everyone to begin making money again,
including the suppliers of the raw materials. And it will happen very soon.
Wait for the Boxing Day Sales to come around. Then you'll see.
Now. Put the soap box back in the cupboard and have a nice cup'o'tea to
relax yersell, laddie :-)

[Ret.]

Post by Brian Gaff
You may say that, but many of us not earning money and reliant on
Government handouts, no matter how much we try to save money, simply
cannot sustain the current energy costs, and unless someone does
something fast to either drastically reduce the energy costs or
increase benefits, there are going to be a lot of tragic stories
about people frezzing to death if the weather gets cold this Winter.
I will be cutting off parts of my house to cut costs as I'm in a
negative cash flow situation. Christmas is cancelled.

What is baffling me is why there is still such a huge difference between the
cost of petrol and diesel. I've been driving diesels for about eight years
now and, until recently, the price differential has been around 4p a litre.
Suddenly it's shot up to around 14 or 15p a litre with no real explanation
as to why. Bearing in mind diesel undergoes less refining than petrol, you
would expect it to be cheaper!!

Ret.

[gazz]

Post by Ret.
What is baffling me is why there is still such a huge difference between
the cost of petrol and diesel. I've been driving diesels for about eight
years now and, until recently, the price differential has been around 4p a
litre. Suddenly it's shot up to around 14 or 15p a litre with no real
explanation as to why. Bearing in mind diesel undergoes less refining than
petrol, you would expect it to be cheaper!!

i remember when diesel was about 38p a litre (for white not red) whilst
petrol was just hitting 50p a litre... that was when i first got on the road
with a 50cc bike, 14 years ago now.

your right, diesel does cost a lot less to produce, cant make petrol without
producing it i believe,

but it's the big bad killer of our plannet, makes the children thick and all
that so says the gubberment, so the pricks just tax it more and more.

i've got a motorhome that takes 140 litres to fill both tanks, i've not done
that in england for 3 years now, so last time i did it was approaching £100
to fill em up, still got some bio diesel in the front tank from when i was
in germany last year, when i was paying 99 cents a litre for it from the
forecourt (over 1000 filling stations in germany sell bio-diesel, always at
least 5 cents a litre below dino-diesel prices, usually more like 10-20
cents cheaper. last time i saw bio-diesel on a forecourt in england, they
wanted 20p a litre more for it!!)

it's very annoying to be watching the fuel prices of the morrisons station
just up the road from me, in the past month or so petrol has fallen from
£1.20 a litre, to 91.9 a litre, diesel dropped from £1.30 a litre to £1.08 a
litre, and hasnt dropped any lower for 3 weeks, whilst petrol has fallen by
6p in the same time.

if i could find a good priced supply of sunflower/veggie oil, i'd make
bio-diesel in my garage, but only places i've seen it anywhere cheaper than
the price in supermarkets where it's the same price as diesel a litre if not
more, is makro, and it was only just a bit cheaper, not goin g to think
about waste oil, what with 'legaly if not technicaly maybee' needing a
hazardous waste operators licence to collect it and the extre steps to
process it etc.


i'm on disability benefits, same ammount as i was getting in april, which is
about 2 quid more than last year, so bod knows what i'll do when my bills
come in, i pay a set ammount every month, but dont think it'll cover it, and
bloody n-power cant/wont even tell me the price im paying for lecky and gas,
i moved in here in august and just phoned up to have the supplies connected,
agreed on 45 quid a month direct debit, and that was that, i expected a bill
about now so i could see what it costs to run this place, then change if
needs be, but not getting a bill for 6 - 9 months they told me.

[Kevin F Stubbs]

Hi Gazz,

As you are on a low fixed income, you should contact your supplier and
ask about their Government sponsored special rates for people in your
situation. All suppliers operate these schemes but none of them give
them very much publicity. For example, Southern Electric run what they
call their 'energyplus Care Tariff'. This sets your tariff to the lowest
in your area and is still at the pre-August price increase rates that
saw their Gas rates go up by 29.2% and Electric by 19.2%. These low
rates will be remaining low until at least the end of Winter.

NB. Southern Electric was just an example not a recommendation. I just
happen to know that that is the scheme they run :-)

Cheers

Kevin

[Don]

Post by Kevin F Stubbs
Hi Gazz,
As you are on a low fixed income, you should contact your supplier and ask
about their Government sponsored special rates for people in your
situation. All suppliers operate these schemes but none of them give them
very much publicity. For example, Southern Electric run what they call
their 'energyplus Care Tariff'. This sets your tariff to the lowest in
your area and is still at the pre-August price increase rates that saw
their Gas rates go up by 29.2% and Electric by 19.2%. These low rates will
be remaining low until at least the end of Winter.
NB. Southern Electric was just an example not a recommendation. I just
happen to know that that is the scheme they run :-)
Cheers
Kevin

The water utility companies have a similar scheme. You can apply to have
your water/sewage paid through their 'Hardship Fund'.

BG also does similar, see; http://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/

Don.

[ian field]

Post by gazz

Post by Ret.
What is baffling me is why there is still such a huge difference between
the cost of petrol and diesel. I've been driving diesels for about eight
years now and, until recently, the price differential has been around 4p
a litre. Suddenly it's shot up to around 14 or 15p a litre with no real
explanation as to why. Bearing in mind diesel undergoes less refining
than petrol, you would expect it to be cheaper!!

i remember when diesel was about 38p a litre (for white not red) whilst
petrol was just hitting 50p a litre... that was when i first got on the
road with a 50cc bike, 14 years ago now.
your right, diesel does cost a lot less to produce, cant make petrol
without producing it i believe,
but it's the big bad killer of our plannet, makes the children thick and
all that so says the gubberment, so the pricks just tax it more and more.

That's lead in petrol - which isn't anymore.

[gazz]

Post by ian field

Post by gazz
but it's the big bad killer of our plannet, makes the children thick and
all that so says the gubberment, so the pricks just tax it more and more.

That's lead in petrol - which isn't anymore.

lol, i know, the lead poisoned us, but the benzine in unleaded makes the
kids thick, other stuff in it gives us all cancer,

the particulates in diesel give everyone asthma, causes exema if you get it
on you not to mention the cancer card again, and that's before we get to the
crap about how it's destroying the planet,

if we all drove solar powered cars, they'd say we were collecting too much
sun light and making the sun die earlier,

[ian field]

Post by gazz

Post by ian field

Post by gazz
but it's the big bad killer of our plannet, makes the children thick and
all that so says the gubberment, so the pricks just tax it more and more.

That's lead in petrol - which isn't anymore.

lol, i know, the lead poisoned us, but the benzine in unleaded makes the
kids thick, other stuff in it gives us all cancer,
the particulates in diesel give everyone asthma, causes exema if you get
it on you not to mention the cancer card again, and that's before we get
to the crap about how it's destroying the planet,
if we all drove solar powered cars, they'd say we were collecting too much
sun light and making the sun die earlier,

FFS - don't give the twats ideas!

[Adrian C]

Post by gazz
i remember when diesel was about 38p a litre (for white not red) whilst
petrol was just hitting 50p a litre... that was when i first got on the
road with a 50cc bike, 14 years ago now.
your right, diesel does cost a lot less to produce, cant make petrol
without producing it i believe,

It's making low polution diesel that puts up the cost. And due to the
introduction of high performance diesel engines - because diesel people
want to drive like petrol people - "ordinary" lorry grade diesel doesn't
cut the mustard anymore. Put the older cheaper stuff in a modern
environmentaly friendly cat converter diesel and you'll probably kill it.

Post by gazz
but it's the big bad killer of our plannet, makes the children thick and
all that so says the gubberment, so the pricks just tax it more and more.

Obviously it needs to be taxed so much that people are put off the idea
of using it. May as well ban it totally instead. Let's go electric.

http://www.kiwiev.com

[Ron O'Brien]

Post by Ret.
What is baffling me is why there is still such a huge difference between
the cost of petrol and diesel.

Because the government isn't making as much out of diesel drivers.
I don't know exact figures but I was told by an 'oil burner' (Ha ha) I mean
diesel driver, that they can expect to get and extra 15% consumption over
petrol cars. So, as the last few years has seen a major increase in the
number of people switching to diesel, the government has to increase the
cost by 15% to break even.

Call me a conspiracy theorist if you like but many of my predictions over
this government have come true. Have you also noticed that LPG has risen by
about 20% in recent times? and I suspect that if more great guzzlers like
Range Rovers and the like switch to gas, we'll see the cost of LPG rise to a
level comparable with petrol.

I think the reason petrol is still so highly priced is more to do with the
taxes they impose on fuel duty which is by percentage, so the higher the
pump price the more they get - there is no incentive for the Government to
get involved in arguing the case for lower pump prices. The same applies to
gas & electricity - VAT - although a small percentage - is added to these
higher prices and effectively adds an extra percent or so in government
revenue.

The government spent millions trying to get people off smoking, and they pat
themselves on the back saying their campaigns have worked and quote 4
million less smokers in less than 10 years (I think were the figures).
Problem is, that's a big hole in the economy. They thought that they would
save money because they always blamed smoking on just about every health
issue going - but they were wrong. We have less smokers, but more illnesses,
the NHS burden has actually increased (start smoking again everyone!), and
it is not with ex-smokers still harbouring the ills of smoking.

What will they tax next? I suspect they'll be looking at your home in more
detail especially homes with cars (coz this lot really hate car drivers) I
think driveways and garages will be targeted soon, so let's get this lot out
of power before they start implementing such nasties!

Ron

[Harry Stottle]

Post by Ron O'Brien
The government spent millions trying to get people off smoking, and they
pat themselves on the back saying their campaigns have worked and quote 4
million less smokers in less than 10 years (I think were the figures).
Problem is, that's a big hole in the economy.

How is that a big hole in the economy? Presumably those that have packed in
smoking are spending their money on something else, so they will be paying
tax on whatever now takes their fancy, as well as being much healthier to
enjoy their new pleasures.

[John Whitworth]

Post by Harry Stottle

Post by Ron O'Brien
The government spent millions trying to get people off smoking, and they
pat themselves on the back saying their campaigns have worked and quote 4
million less smokers in less than 10 years (I think were the figures).
Problem is, that's a big hole in the economy.

How is that a big hole in the economy? Presumably those that have packed in
smoking are spending their money on something else, so they will be paying
tax on whatever now takes their fancy, as well as being much healthier to
enjoy their new pleasures.

Maybe...but the percentage of tax on whatever else they are buying is
almost guaranteed to be smaller than the percentage of tax on tobacco.

JW