Ofgem Propose £21 On Energy Bills To Cover Bad Debt.

[iansheff 88]

Ofgem have proposed that UK households pay a £21 increase to energy bills from April to cover bad debt. They say the  extra charge could be the solution to compensating suppliers who have been left out of pocket due to the rising number of bill payers unable to meet their charges during the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

https://www.express.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/1362413/energy-price-warning-ofgem-increase-debt

 

 

 

[Pyrotequila 402]

So they want everyone to pay this extra charge to cover the people who can't afford to pay their bills?

 

How will they separate the people who can't pay the bill, from the people who don't want to and try and scam the system?

[Baron99 794]

I'll pay the £21 extra then, when the next bill come in, tell the power company I can't pay.  Quids in. 

[Anna B 1,414]

So people are not able to pay their electricity bills... I know, let's put their bills up, that'll sort it.🙄

[melthebell 863]

LOL, bunch of idiots, theres a reason why people cant pay

[bassett one 451]

dont they make profits to cover things like that?

[Thirsty Relic 213]

Their Balance Sheets include provision for Bad Debts, and they make profits over and above that.

 

I have to say that, in these exceptional times, the provision may be low.  That would impact on profits, maybe even wiping them out for a period.  However,  I can see no reason for all customers to be asked to pay for this temporary blip.  Businesses (especially large infastructure ones with reserves) continue, and can be expected to recover when the sector recovers, next year perhaps, after the vaccines ......

 

[AKAMD 0]

Re-Nationalize them!  Fair bills for all!

[El Cid 219]

11 hours ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Businesses (especially large infastructure ones with reserves) continue, and can be expected to recover when the sector recovers, next year perhaps, after the vaccines ......

 

Good post. Energy companies will have suffered very little, people still use energy, perhaps a little less. But they will just turn down the gas.

Is it just another news story, with little substance?

[iansheff 88]

Would like to know how much of the money in this country spent on energy goes abroad as four of the big six energy companies are foreign owned.

• EDF Energy is French-state-owned.
• NPower is owned by Innogy SE, a subsidiary of the German company RWE
• Scottish Power is a subsidiary of Spanish utility company Iberdrola
• E.ON is a German energy company

Only British Gas and SSE are British owned companies

Which energy suppliers are British owned? (uswitch.com)

[melthebell 863]

1 hour ago, El Cid said:

Good post. Energy companies will have suffered very little, people still use energy, perhaps a little less. But they will just turn down the gas.

Is it just another news story, with little substance?

i think we'd be using more tbh, cos its a lockdown and more people are stuck at home using more electric and gas, eating more food etc?

[geared 314]

So is this bad debt from just British users or all bad debt of the foreign parent company?