I am trying not to make an issue of you stating that you believe “Given the current government’s track record, I don’t think that is going to look pretty” but do you honestly believe a Labour or Lib Dem government would have us in a better position.
Reading your posts you come across quite knowledgeable - I mean this genuinely, not patronising - I am intrigued into what you think would be the best way for the UK to move forward. 
Out of interest, with the rapid rise of inflation and the bank raising interest rates what are peoples thoughts on the house market?
That comment was not to which party might have avoided the entire situation, but to the level of attunement other possible governments might have had to the distributional consequences of the energy crisis. What Labour was calling for a year ago would not have helped in the least. However, it is notable that both of the Conservative contenders have been avoiding any discussion of targeted measures to assist those most in need, in favour of broader measures that would nominally benefit everyone.
Where the rubber hits the road is that they are both absolutely fucking dreaming, playing around with adjustments that are in the 3-5% range (policy and market costs) and avoiding the elephant in the room that is the wholesale cost increase. Energy is going to be extremely expensive in the UK over the next winter, that seems unavoidable. The longer the conversation avoids trying to mitigate the consequences to the most vulnerable households, the greater those consequences are likely to be.
From a few thousand kilometres away, the choice appears to be between Truss’ obtuseness and Sunak’s indifference.
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Right, but Singapore must be one of the densest places in the world in terms of energy use. Tiny area, huge population, advanced economy. One of my old bosses owns a ranch in southern Alberta one third the size of Singapore, with about 8 buildings on it. Neither of those places really are indicative in policy terms.
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How do they plan to accomplice this?
The storage component of renewable energy (solar, wind) projects is its bane. Batteries are costly and they make the whole concept untenable, specially in the developing world where the energy crisis is most severe. One option is to connect the projects with the existing grid. But the very non-existence of the grid is the very incentive/catalyst for such projects.
In Bangladesh, we are producing thousands of MW through renewable (almost exclusively solar) energy projects. But they are stand-alone/off-grid projects serving remote communities and installations.
- They don’t operate at their optimal capacity since the owners don’t need or can’t afford the generation capacity beyond a certain point.
- The national grid can’t take the benefit of additional and alternative generation sources.
- The projects are costly for their owners.
Around 2009, we had a project (or more specifically, a plan) to utilize the roof-tops of Dhaka and other major cities for solar projects and connect them with the national grid. It was estimated that even after storing a certain amount for emergency uses of the respective buildings/installations, these projects will supply Dhaka with around 2000 MW of electricity during the hottest months (when the energy consumption/demand is also at its peak) of the year.
Due to some strange and unknown reluctance from the consumers, businesses, and government this project didn’t get off the ground. During this same period, we have spent billions of dollars to build power plants, pay for their capacity, and import fuels. Not to mention the continued subsidizing of the costly and inefficient solar projects. I guess this is what you should expect in a Kleptocracy.
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Can we talk easy solutions to reduce the cost impact?
Not only energy, but food, travel, and anything else you can throw in the pot.
“I’m not a Conservative”
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Why can’t the £360ish be paid direct to energy suppliers…coz we all have energy accounts…instead of giving the money direct to people, who,as my neighbour informed us yesterday, will spend this money on a holiday break…I thought he was kidding me…but he said …the government are giving me this money I’m going to spend it how I like…no one will check…I was flabbergasted…
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What £360ish are you talking about?
The government is paying money directly to the energy companies from October (about £66 or £67 a month I think) until next March. It is paying several hundred pounds to people on benefits through the benefits system and there was a council tax rebate for some people of I think £150 in April.
Why do you think they’ve done it this way?
A freebee that people will use however they see fit, other than on energy while producing a wonderful headline figure that does nothing to address the root of the problem.
I’m wondering if @Wilkored08 's neighbour is a pensioner as they get a £300 payment to help with the cost of living.
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If they’re in a financial position that enables them to do that, why not?
Thanks, that’s helpful. My mum has a habit of not claiming benefits she’s entitled to, so i have to keep informed about this stuff.
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To simplify the delivery of the payments to those who need them the most. Many of them may live in accommodation that has meters for example.
No they are willing, fit n able…he works 3 days a week…and she is 50 yr old and claims everything…me n mester saved all our working lives, took early retirement, live off our works pensions, can’t claim anything…and they just take the mick…
They can claim though, if he is working and it’s a joint claim although the wife may be the one making the claim the partner would still have to be added to her claim as it’s the same household, unless they are not declared as being a couple (living together) but then that would mean a fraudulent claim.
They could be in receipt of pip or similar benefit that is not means tested because of some disability.
But as far as the “no one will check” that’s nonsense, because the money is always checked in some form.
The question is though do people report such people for fraud ?
Is it fraud to spend the money on something else if you don’t need it for its intended purpose? Simple to say the money was used to pay the bill and the money he had to pay the bill was spent on a holiday.
Anything u can claim for she will…he’s only working 3 days s week cause he has to, so he can keep another benefit…as for checking where the £360 pounds will go…it should have gone strainght onto the enerhy account…no one will check where it has been spent…and as for us…we get naff all…been told to spend our savings…
No the reporting of the fraud part was in reference to if people think they are claiming some form of benefits they may not be entitled to/ if they think they may not be declaring certain things such as income correctly or if a partner is living at an address but they think they may not be registered at the address to the relevant departments.
By having two different uc claims, the issue then becomes do they both have different addresses that are being paid for in terms of rent and would they both have taken advance payments as well.
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