The energy crisis

Originally Posted by Damien

The government doesn't seem to want to match the universal help with energy bills and instead make you go to the Doctor to get money off:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/19569...-energy-bills/

They've lost the plot entirely.

That’s a really good idea - luckily, it’s very easy to get an appointment at a GPs now, and no one has forecast that the NHS will be under additional pressure his winter…

[Jaymoss]

That will never go though

Originally Posted by Damien

The government doesn't seem to want to match the universal help with energy bills and instead make you go to the Doctor to get money off:

I thought you were better than to fall for nonsense like that.

Its just one of many "ideas" from boffins, not the government.
They always come up with some barmy ideas as well as reasonable ones.

Typical of the Sun to pick up on it and try and promote is as a serious option.
It clearly nuts and no government would seriously propose using such an option.

Originally Posted by Damien

The government doesn't seem to want to match the universal help with energy bills and instead make you go to the Doctor to get money off:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/19569...-energy-bills/

They've lost the plot entirely.

This sounds like policy wonks doing what they’re paid to do and coming up with options for ministers to choose from. The fact it’s on the menu doesn’t mean it’s likely to be taken forward. The fact we’re reading about it is of more concern than the fact it’s been suggested. Civil servants should have freedom to brainstorm without half-formed ideas being leaked by indisciplined junior ministers and picked apart in the Press.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Chris

This sounds like policy wonks doing what they’re paid to do and coming up with options for ministers to choose from. The fact it’s on the menu doesn’t mean it’s likely to be taken forward. The fact we’re reading about it is of more concern than the fact it’s been suggested. Civil servants should have freedom to brainstorm without half-formed ideas being leaked by indisciplined junior ministers and picked apart in the Press.

I agree. Surely, the simplest means of targeting direct financial help to the most in need is through Universal Credit.

[Jaymoss]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I agree. Surely, the simplest means of targeting direct financial help to the most in need is through Universal Credit.

That is not the case at all due to the fact not everyone has been moved from legacy benefits yet. Those of us on said benefits missed out on the £20 per week uplift during the pandemic due to it being "too complicated" to include us. It most certainly would not be fair to do that again

[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I agree. Surely, the simplest means of targeting direct financial help to the most in need is through Universal Credit.

Pensioners? Not to mention those on low incomes with earnings marginally above the threshold. Is it any wonder we have a lazy workforce we don’t make work rewarding? What about those small business owners who can’t pay their bills with entrepreneurial spirit?

[GrimUpNorth]

If only the gov made some effort to close the tax gap, the £35 billion could make quite a difference about now.

[1andrew1]

UK industry braced for bleak winter as soaring energy costs threaten closures

October will be the crunch point as fixed pricing deals end, businesses warn

Businesses across the UK are braced for an unprecedented energy costs hit this winter. Many deals are due to be renegotiated next month, ahead of a crunch point in October when thousands of companies — large and small — have to switch to new contracts.

“There’s a huge cost shock coming to business — especially those that are rolling off fixed price contracts,” said Robert Buckley, head of relationship development at Cornwall Insight, an energy consultancy. “It’s frightening.”

Some fear the UK could be hit harder, with its response to the energy crisis stalled by paralysis in decision making until a new prime minister takes power next month.

Nishma Patel, policy director at the Chemicals Industry Association, a trade body, said the EU had released a framework to deal with severe gas shortages over winter that included allowing government intervention for spiralling prices. No such plan exists in the UK.

“In the EU, we’ve started to see their plans on the worst-case scenario. We don’t have that clarity yet,” she said. “The big concern is ‘will we have these things ready by winter?’”

For more than half a century the furnaces at Steve Keeton’s factory in Wigan have been used to melt and draw glass fibre used in wind turbines, electric car parts and construction. Now the prospect of surging power prices and supply disruptions may force it to shut permanently.

The threat of closure at Electric Glass Fibre UK is real despite strong demand for its products. The cost of keeping its furnaces running is set to rise by an unaffordable 300 per cent next April, as a result of soaring energy bills. There is also a risk that power will be rationed this winter if the stand-off with Russia deepens gas supply shortages across Europe.

Disconnection — even for just a few hours — would cause lasting damage and “cost tens of millions of pounds to repair”, said Keeton, managing director at the 57-year-old factory in north-west England which has been owned by Japan’s Nippon Electric Glass since 2016.

https://www.ft.com/content/0df8bde0-...2-2b4c25650cd3

[jfman]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

https://www.ft.com/content/0df8bde0-...2-2b4c25650cd3

Mogg’s private equity firm will be out there foaming at the mouths at the prospect. After all disaster capitalism and potential for supernormal profits on investments at this scale is usually once or twice in a generation.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

https://www.ft.com/content/0df8bde0-...2-2b4c25650cd3

I can see a new 'please work from home and use your leccy' drive....

Workers might insist on working and sleeping in offices over winter, or being paid a supplement to wfh.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by jfman

Mogg’s private equity firm will be out there foaming at the mouths at the prospect. After all disaster capitalism and potential for supernormal profits on investments at this scale is usually once or twice in a generation.

There's been three once-in-a-lifetime opportunities of late - the energy crisis plus the two ids of Brexit and Covid.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

There's been three once-in-a-lifetime opportunities of late - the energy crisis plus the two ids of Brexit and Covid.

The downside to the undue influence the financial sector has over the economy. We are ready to bail them out to the tune of tens of billions on every gamble gone wrong yet their massive successes are often when the rest of the economy flails.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by jfman

The downside to the undue influence the financial sector has over the economy. We are ready to bail them out to the tune of tens of billions on every gamble gone wrong yet their massive successes are often when the rest of the economy flails.

With higher fuel costs impacting an already challenged manufacturing sector, the financial services sector is set to play a larger role in the UK economy.

[Qtx]

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

We need to re-nationalise energy, Water and the Railway system.

Until we do that, we are always going to be subsidising people in foreign companies instead of helping ourselves.