Re: UK Energy Prices
 

When at OVO (Prior to Octopus) I sent readings every month.
I was then able to adjust my DD payment every month based on real readings.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Best to' adjust' your readings and time them, to make the best of any tariff changes. Smart meters can't do that. I might accidentally over read before prices go up at the end of the month. Easily done with my eyesight these days ;)

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

In other words, the real reason you dont like them is because you cant lie, cheat and falsify readings :dozey:

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Just buying energy in advance, like energy companies do. :)

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

And committing fraud ;)

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Definitely not pointless for me as I pay by DD which means I'm billed with real readings instead of their estimated readings.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Switched energy supplier. First time in a few years, seems worthwhile to do again. Not usually a fan of fixing but with prices going up in Jan, and also forecast to go up in April, now seems a good time.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Who's did you switch from and to?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

From EON (leccy) and EDF (gas), to Outfox the Market for both. They have a good deal 12 month deal atm.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Never heard of Outfox the market, are your rates alot cheaper than what you had been paying?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I used Comparethemarket to see if I could get a better deal. Apart from fixing, which is a bit of a gamble, I couldn't save more than a few pence per year.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Trouble with comparison sites is they only show deals they get commission on. There will be an option to show all deals but they keep it hidden away.

---------- Post added at 11:56 ---------- Previous post was at 11:55 ----------

Saving over £200 a year.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

For fixed they seem average at best.

Their fixed electric is better than the current Octopus Fixed.
However its not better than the average Agile price on most days.

Their fixed gas is not as good as the current Octopus Fixed (or the previous Octo Fixed).

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Might also depend on usage/region. I'm a heavy electricity user, but light on gas. What's best for one household might not be best for another. Certainly the cheapest for me.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I'm thinking of changing. Been following this thread. Then today...

'We had a smart meter installed by Octopus... the cost of making a cuppa went from 1p to £5 overnight'

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...overnight.html

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Sensationalist drivel

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Yeah, that’s clearly a dodgy install by an incompetent installer - nothing to do with Octopus or the smart meter itself.

I’ve had 3 new smart meters; one in my old house (fine) and two in my new one, which have had various communication problems, but I’ve never been over charged by them.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Yep, and not even a Smart Meter issue, but an issue with how a CT Clamp was set-up.
(they are just external current sensors used in Solar Panel & EV Charger set-ups).

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

did he mention how to pay for it

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Seemingly there are quite a lot of meters installed wrong and people are being charged a fortune, This is not right,

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Links?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

https://www.theguardian.com/business...-great-britain

search engine broke?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

The Guardian ?! Now I know you've gone to the darkside ;)

Smart meters give all control to the supplier, if they work..

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It’s generally considered good form when making a claim to back it up with some sort of link.

Anyways, who lit the fuse on your sanitary product ?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

The article actually states ;
Not "all" people, nor does it say "a fortune".
Estimates (as I'm sure you know) are based on previous usage.
You can also supply actual readings to correct any estimated bill.

If a poster makes a claim like that then they need to back it up with links, not expect others to have to search.
Same as when starting a news based topic : https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33670445

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Uk has enough Gas says network operator.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7vd57qzlqpo

It's interesting in another news article i read that Centrica immediately quoted they would have to raise prices, something they are well known for doing at the drop of a hat.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

My supplier must know something is up, or are relying totally on computer programs to make decisions.

A letter from them today said that they would reduce my DD from £140 to £136.44 from February.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

What use is that, hardly anyone uses Hydrogen.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

They will just change the rules so that you have to use it. They are already pushing heat pumps and if they change them to use hydrogen instead of Gas or electric then we are all flucked

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

The pathway to reducing our national dependence on natural gas will almost certainly involve mixing hydrogen into the public gas supply. There’s simply no way the purported alternative (everyone gets a heat pump) will fly. They require space not everybody has and when you have entire streets of them, they’re noisy. They also draw a lot of electricity which the regional distribution networks might not always have capacity for.

The greenest way of getting hydrogen is to use excess renewable energy to electrolyse water (the alternative involves converting natural gas but while it’s a more efficient process it’s also self defeating if we’re trying to reduce our dependence on it).

Centrica can probably make a credible business case for investing in Rough if it has a long term future, which under present government net zero policies it doesn’t, because it has a load of natural gas storage capacity everyone is telling Centrica they don’t need in the long term. But if they have permission to convert it to hydrogen storage they can probably work with that.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Aren't most modern boilers able to use gas or hydrogen?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I think the key word here is long term. Little use now as hardly anyone uses it, but this should change.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Some are what they call "Hydrogen Ready" which means they can be converted to run on it, you cant simply switch and they'll work.

I'd bet the majority of people dont have one atm since boilers are not something you often replace, they run for at least 10 - 15 years, longer if well serviced.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Hydrogen is being touted as "storage" for electricity.

Excess electrical power would be passed to electrolysis sites, where water would be split into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen would then be stored until it was required to power steam generators to generate electricity for the National Grid.

Large batteries are also being built to store DC electricity.

But both methods have an explosive risk.

Being able to store power in these ways will have knock-on effects, of course. The UK is presently seeing a dip in the wholesale price for natural gas, due to a drop in demand. But the ability to store power could well prevent such dips from happening, as any excess could be passed to hydrogen plants and batteries. Our lack of decent levels of mass storage for natural gas is also a factor. So the days of those with smart meters having "free" or cheaper electricity could well be numbered.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Some good news I wasn't expecting on energy prices

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyn5keznpqo

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

That is good news. But I've just signed up to a fixed tariff. :( I don't have exit fees so I could come out of it but I'm sure I won't get a better deal before the next Ofgen price cap. Maybe there might be better fixed tariffs around now.

Saying that, they always lower the price in the summer months you don't save anywhere near the amount they state anyway. So it's a bit of a con as they'll put it up again around autumn when you'll use more.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It's been previously explained that it's gas prices that are keeping energy prices high not net zero as renewables are cheapest.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I signed up to an Octopus 12 month fixed with £59 exit fee on both fuels, I regret not staying on a Tracker Tariff for atleast Gas.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

That's not what's keeping them high. It's the link to gas prices.
https://www.theguardian.com/business...-done-about-it

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It will go up again in winter

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

None of that matters, to your pocket.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Its not unexpected, the cap has been predicted to fall in July for months now, and possibly in Oct as well, then rise very slightly in Jan 2026.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ut...ap-prediction/

Gas has been cheap for almost two months now, the Tracker price has been below 5p since the last week of April.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Maybe not to yours but to mine and countless others it does.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

How so?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

If prices were not set by gas, they would be cheaper and we'd end up paying less.

As renewable generation increases, this is thankfully looking more likely.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/factchec...rices-so-high/

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

But they’re not, so we’re not.

Until it happens, it’s irrelevant.

We’re being charged exorbitant amounts of money and renewables are not lowering the price.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Renewables are significantly decreasing the costs of energy generation substantially. Whether the savings are passed onto us or not is up to the politicians.

Good to see a Reform UK mayor getting on board cheaper energy from renewables.
https://www.ft.com/content/973da1ee-...b-b4b04a1a7d7a

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

If the reduced costs are not being passed onto the customer, then what's the point. The consumer doesn't benefit

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

In time, they will and if you want to speed the process up, petition/advocate/vote for a Party that will get the reduced costs passed on now.

What's the alternative? As Chris explained, any oil fracked in the UK is sold at global market rates so there's no silver bullet.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

They really need to specify an end state for renewables, the grid swings around wildly depending on the weather already. This leads to instability and could cause blackouts like in Spain. They need to lay out when we have "enough" renewables.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It’s the lack of inertia from big heavy turbines that’s the issue in a grid largely powered by renewables, not the renewables themselves. But you can build stuff in to replicate what was, after all, an accidental benefit of heavy steam turbines and not something that was deliberately built in as such. Asking when we have ‘enough’ renewable generation is the wrong question with regard to sudden loss of generation.

If you wanted an exclusively renewable-powered grid you would need overcapacity in wind and solar generation backed by enormous amounts of storage. There are various ways of storing energy - most hydro schemes in Scotland of any size are pumped storage. You can use battery installations; molten salt technologies are likely to prove useful at scale. You can even use excess power to electrolyse water and store energy as hydrogen, which can then be used to refill fuel cells or added to the public gas supply to reduce the demand for fossil gas.

Even so, the most reliable way to produce base load requirement is likely to be a fleet of small modular nuclear reactors in many more locations - in a way that will take us back to what things looked like in the 1960s with a large number of lower-output Magnox reactors in many more locations, as opposed to the fewer, much larger reactors we have relied on more recently (and which we are finally building again now).

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

That is not the entire story. Renewables energy introduces additional grid oscillations which require extra work to control.

There are ways of storing energy but really they aren't all that great. We just don't one want a situation where we have absurd amounts of energy one minute and zero energy the next.

For instance if everyone has solar panels they become obsolete since electricity on the grid would be free whenever the sun shines and when the sun isn't shining the power is expensive again.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I believe I addressed that:

All you’re really doing here is rehearsing a 21st century version of the AC/DC debate that raged in the late 19th century. We need to generate and distribute power in the way that works best, however now our definition of best includes considerations around environmental sustainability. It’s no use saying a particular method isn’t all that great - time and time again we see when there is a market for something, that drives innovation.

We need batteries like never before, and that demand has driven improvement. The best Lithium Ion batteries can hold 50% more power than they could 10 years ago, and the most recent designs are more resistant to degradation from max-charging them.

Lots here: https://arstechnica.com/science/2021...der-your-nose/

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

We live on an island surrounded by the sea, so why is tidal power generation always getting blocked on "environmental grounds"?

A barrage from near Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare has been touted for many, many years, but it gets blocked to "protect migratory birds' feeding grounds". The whole idea is that rising sea levels are allowed past a barrage, then released through turbines before the tide starts to rise again. So the "feeding grounds" get exposed twice a day.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

They don’t get exposed in the same way they do naturally because the barrage and the turbines change the rate at which the tide comes in and out. They also fundamentally alter the way water flows in an estuary with not entirely predictable results. Given how critical these grounds are for a very large number of birds, the risk is too great. Creating an environmental catastrophe in the name of solving another one is not sensible.

There are other ways of exploiting tidal flow energy, such as creating reservoirs within the estuary that fill and empty with the tide, which would operate on a smaller scale than damming the entire thing. There are also turbines which can be placed somewhere there is a particularly rapid tidal flow.

Orbital Marine are pioneers in this area and they have successfully demonstrated a 2 megawatt turbine in some particularly fast-flowing tidal streams around Orkney. They’re now moving to full production and expect to be deploying commercial tidal generation machinery next year.

https://www.orbitalmarine.com/o2-x/

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

In time……not helping anyone now is it? What’s the point?

Cheaper gas?

Change it.

For both.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Neither is a half-built road or house. Only when it's reached critical mass or politicians' arms can be twisted will we benefit from the cheaper cost of renewables.

Pretty sure if that was remotely possible and beneficial someone would have tried it by now.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It’s more than remotely possible to nationalise oil/gas production and/or requisition output for domestic consumption only. But there is a penalty in terms of our standing as a place to invest and do business. That’s why we don’t do it, and would not do it except in a crisis.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Yup, it's a trade off and if it was worthwhile doing everything considered, it would have been done by now.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Price Cap dropping by 7% in July.

Despite this people are being encouraged to switch to fixed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7zdzz83y0o

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

My Octopus fixed rate ends in April, I I'm considering taking a Tracker Tariff again, but I see Outfox Energy also have a Tracker Tariff too. What are people's thoughts on Outfox?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Been with them for over a year. They are fine, and cheap.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

In process of switching from Octopus to Outfox as my deal ends in April and outfox was a lot cheaper than Octopus could offer plus will drop with the SVT in April

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

The cheaper budget rates come in on April 1st so hopefully you will get that, but it does say they will pass it on to all fixed rate and variable tariff customers.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Checked all that out before I decided. What I have noticed is alot of them charge a lot to get out of contract but unless the svt changed dramatically before next winter I can not see me losing out over the year

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I moved to them on a (very cheap) 2 year fixed deal last summer (<20p Electric) - no issues.

I dont believe their Tracker is what you are thinking, I think it just tracks the price cap (with a discount of a few percent).

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Oh right so it's not the same as Octopuses then, I wondered why I couldn't find any prices.

I'm still considering going back onto a Tracker with Octopus it would have been than my fixed rate this last year.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

A few words from the boss of Octopus about standing charges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU3f7wB7rVQ

---------- Post added at 11:32 ---------- Previous post was at 11:29 ----------

The UK Targeted Charging Review (TCR) is an Ofgem reform (effective April 2022/2023) that changed how network residual costs are recovered, moving them from volumetric unit rates to fixed daily charges for households and businesses. It aims to make electricity network charges fairer by basing them on capacity rather than usage, impacting TNUoS and DUoS charges.

Key Aspects of the TCR:
Change in Charging Structure: Residual charges for Distribution Use of System (DUoS) and Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) are now levied as fixed charges per day, based on your site's Available Supply Capacity (ASC).

For most, these charges are now fixed for the period up to March 31, 2026, and cannot be changed unless there is a significant shift in site infrastructure https://conceptenergy.org/the-target...or-businesses/

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Things are not looking good for Octopus Tracker prices! My Fixed rate ends in just over a month I fear due to the war prices are just going to shoot up further. There is also the reduction coming in April but this doesn't seem to apply to fixed rates so I can't snap one of those up now.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It applies to existing fixed rate deals if you have them, at least on Outfox, and I believe others are the same.

The fixed deals are not as good now as they were last summer, when I got mine.
I wasnt sure if it was a good idea at the time, but its proving to be a real winner, especially as current prices are probably going to rise due to the latest war.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

when you switch if you use a decent comparison site it will tell you if the suppliers have agreed to pass the reduction on. As Paul said Outfox does and that is why I swapped. The deal I got was equal to my Octopus deal I had for the last 12 months now so will in effect be 7% cheaper than I was paying for the last 12 months. From my maths prices will have to rise by 10% by January for me to run the risk of losing and this war out East could well mean I am on a big winner if they rise at all over the next 3 quarters

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

This is why I'm thinking Octopus isn't putting it on this fixed rate.

Edit- I read the image properly that quote is with the reduction added to it, which means the flexible will be a fair bit cheaper.
https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...1&d=1772617361

My Outfox quote is £96.04 for fixed and it says this will reduce in April so it should be 7% cheaper and my Octopus quote is £96.40 for fixed but the image suggests this is with the reduction already added.

So it makes sense to switch but just not sure when I can Initiate it as I have 38 days left on my Octopus contract.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I've got 38 days left before I can switch so it's terrible timing unfortunately.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

is that 38 days to the actual date as you can switch a fair number of days early penalty free

---------- Post added at 10:07 ---------- Previous post was at 10:06 ----------

it is 49 days before the end date

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It says 38 days remaining on my Octopus fixed rate.

I'm not going to switch right now as I don't have time to faff around with going to work later, it's a shame Octopus are saying their fixed rate included the discount as this makes everyone else cheaper. Also price comparison site don't appear to include Outfox unfortunately.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

MSE did for me

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Thanks, I'll check it out but think I won't get to do it in time before they bump the rates up.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

"Incredibly poor customer service from Octopus Energy to put the exit fees up from £0 to £50, then to £75 all in one week for customers looking to switch tariffs."

(Edit - Chris) only mod edits in bold please ;)

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Well I don't think anyone is shocked by prices rises anymore, it's the butterfly effect isn't it.

A bloke drops a bucket of water in Iran and fuel prices soar . . or sumfink like that

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ewwej0p13o

It also mentions Octopus.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I still have a Octopus fixed rate available to me to select but when clicking through it I still have a £50 exit fee on both fuels for the next 37 days, so I guess I'll just ride it out 7 till early April and see what happens after. One thing I'll be doing is avoiding the Trackers.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

The "Switching Window": Ofgem regulations allow you to switch suppliers without penalty during the final 49 days (roughly 7 weeks) of your fixed term.

So Snoop is your fixed term ending in the 37 days or is the end date 49 days after this ?

My tariff had £75 exit fees each (it was a special cheap tariff Octopus only had for a short time) but they notified me of the 49 days I searched and switched

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

My app says my current tariff ends on 11 April with 36 days remaining.

Edit- I've just emailed them, I'll likely leave everything to late as I don't have time to faff around before work today, I'm in no panic of anything.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Think I've decided to drop onto Octopus Flexible on 11th April and see what happens, I could change to Outfox fixed rate still which says it's £70 cheaper than Octopus fixed rate but I dont like the £150 exit fees.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

So you use a voucher app and get free iptv for a few quid and love the fact you save money but here you go on the expensive tariff and lose money?

How I factored it all was my fix was ending the flexible tariff would have meant a big increase Outfox was the same as what I was already on so no increase now and it will go down by 7% in April on top. Now I did my math and lose out on this we would have to see 2 more drops in the 12 months at least and with the war I doubt we will see any more so I see no way of losing even with the 150 quid to leave

My Octopus had £150 to leave but I won all year long hehe

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I was at work so now I've had time to think more clearly.

I've just tried to switch to Outfox but strangely it won't let me enter a start date after April 2nd, the start date I need should be 11th April when my Octopus Fix ends so I'll try again in the morning on a PC.

Or am I misunderstanding and I can actually switch before the Octopus end date?

Edit - I think I can switch now as I'm in the last 49 day period.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

you can switch within 49 days of your contract end date

---------- Post added at 23:35 ---------- Previous post was at 23:32 ----------

https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electric...y-energy-deal/

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Just switched and asked for it to start on 1st April, the direct debit starts on March 23rd for some reason.

I actually thought the site had crashed when I clicked the sign-up button as it was spinning for a few mins but it worked in the end.

Can you please tell me how the switch works, I guess it just sorts itself out, but what about any credit on my octopus account?

Edit - the outfox email has confused me it's saying my start date is March 13th even though I selected April 1st!

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

It just works.

They generally ask you for meter readings a day or two before switch date, and use them for switching purposes.
OFE will charge you for usage from the switch, and Octopus work out your final bill and (may even **) charge you.


** In my case, I owed Octopus on the date of switch, so I waited until the day after and payed off what I owed at that point (i.e. zeroed my balance). A few weeks later they did my final Gas bill (only). I zeroed the account again the next day, still no final electric bill, and after about 2/3 months Octopus auto credited me £40 for the delay. I waited another few weeks then asked them to refund my £40 credit, which they did. I never did get a final electric bill to pay.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Outfoxes communication is not consistent, their app and site asks me to submit my opening readings between 11th and 18th March and the email they sent says they are now ready for my meter readings and everything will go live on 13th March. So Ive submitted my readings on the 8th March, hopefully I haven't done it too early.

They also completely ignored my selected switch date for 1st April.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Did you try contacting their support and asking them to check/change the switch date ?

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

Know I just let it happen, ultimately the switch date doesn't matter to me. Atleast I'm getting lots of communication from them and Octopus.

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

I had to hassle Octopus on X to get my final bill. I asked how long they said Outfox had not sent the reading yet get in touch with them. Outfox auto answered the query as to why with so I went back to Octopus and pasted Outfoxs reply and said you are sat on £250 because you have the same readings. Low and behold 5 minutes later I get my final bill they pedantically took a part days charge from my readings which were given within hours of the switch but hey ho I know what I am getting now. And I was not charged exit fees as I was within the 49 days as expected

Re: UK Energy Prices
 

The Outfox email I got says 4-6 weeks for a final bill, so hoping I don't have issues.