How are you coping?

Hi all, Please take heart, I am. In the news this morning, over thirty huge gas tankers, full of gas, lying idle waiting for the price to rise... I couldn't make this up if I tried! Gas prices too low! Every household in the UK will receive two separate cash allocations to help with energy & rising costs. £400, credited by your energy company, credited in six equal instalments - for me that is so generous - plus around £500, depending on age, paid by DWP. Many other folks will receive additional aid. Just reflecting on £900 that I'm due to receive, for me, that is so generous. Groceries & energy. A banquet might be on its way. Talking of banquets, my Courtaulds finance dinner is at the Millpool, this December. Once run by a Coventry boxer.

Hi all, Even with UK energy prices ramped up, the world spot price for gas today the same as in 2018, I'm adding £80 per month, in order to maintain my same level of consumption for next year which, less £66 per month HMGov help fund for every household, is hardly going to break the bank, hey! Have a warm evening all.

It’s quite interesting how the prices are varying. I am not on the gas grid, so my heating is by kerosene. Going back to 2018 to 2020 the price averaged 50p/l but dropped to 21p/l on 1st May 2020. In 2022 on 24th February it was 67p/l and rose to 160p/l on the 19th March and then dropped back to 97p/l on the 28th April. I topped the tank up on 5th December at 81p/l. On another subject I recently got a quote for an air source heat pump to replace the oil fired boiler for the central heating. It was a staggering £25,000 and the company advised I could apply for a grant of up to $8,000 if I was eligible (I’m not). I looked into reverse cycle air-conditioners for the five rooms that I use on a regular basis throughout a normal week. The cost was compatible with a replacement oil fired boiler. Consequently I am sticking with my oil fired boiler for the foreseable future. Greta Thunberg won’t be pleased, but at least I won’t be putting more stress on the electricity grid! This is an interesting live website for the UK generation mix.

Thanks, Earlsdon Kid. For keeping an eye on the electricity situation, I find this site useful.

Thanks Helen, that’s a good site for viewing trends. The frequency indication I particularly like as it can be quite indicative of what the anticipated demand could be in the immediate future.

Hi all & thank you for your comments. I'm no energy strategists or the like, but I try to pick the bones out of sensationalized headlines & reports, where I don't believe that they are understood even by the journalists involved. I just wonder? Again, thank you.

I woke up to no heat and no power upstairs. It looks like the condensate drain for the boiler had frozen up. The struggling boiler then took out the power breaker. All back on now but I need to take it easy until the drain is properly defrosted. Sigh, there's always something.

That happened to us the other day, Helen, as last year, so I got the ladder outside and poured hot water over the outlet which thawed it quickly.

This is what I have fitted to my boiler to solve this problem.

It's never been cold enough over such a prolonged period since the boiler was installed for it to be a problem. It doesn't help that it's on a wall that doesn't get much sun. Well now I know. Thanks Derek, if this becomes the norm in winter, I'll have to get one of those.

I'm so sorry Helen.

It was terrible Philip. I had to stay in bed with my electric hot jacket on until about 11. Good job I know how to restart stuff, eh? Was breakfast good?

We're a long way from being out of the woods but the cost of gas has fallen multiple times in recent weeks/months. The mild winter across Europe might be a disaster for ski resorts but it's eased the pressure on gas demand. Investec now expects the price cap on energy bills to fall to £3,317 in April, then £2,478 in July and £2,546 in October. That compares to previous forecasts of £3,458, £2,640 and £2,704. The figures look scary but you'll have a feel by now how much your annual bill compares to the current price cap (a measure of what an average annual bill would be). You won't be paying that per month! The level before Christmas - The Energy Price Guarantee protects consumers reducing the unit cost of electricity and gas so that that a typical dual fuel direct debit bill for January 2023 remains at £2,500 and will be increased from April 2023 to a new level of £3000, with cost-of-living payments of £900 for those on means tested benefits, £300 to pensioners, £150 to those on disability benefits and doubling support for those on LPG or heating oil. The rest of the winter and the war in Ukraine remain as unknowns but for now things are looking a bit more optimistic. On the positive side the government may have learned a much needed lesson on not putting all our eggs in one energy basket, especially one with a big hole in it.

Hi Helen, My fixed term contract came to an end a fortnight ago, but even burning the same energy levels to keep warm, with the £67 winter month refund hand-out, I'm actually better off. Thank you for your post.

Hi all, Our government recently posted a statement regards their higher than expected tax receipts. That's not difficult to understand. As we are paying so much more for our domestic energy, VAT on energy bills is much higher. In fact, the increase in VAT is almost meeting the hand out benefit costs. Little different to the huge increased profits reported regards energy companies, oil & gas. So, everyone laughing all the way to the bank except we the consumer.