Don't Pay UK

[road2ruin]

Wanted to start a separate thread on this rather than clog up the other energy ones and @bobmac just mentioned it on the Bulb thread so thought it would be interesting to see what people's thoughts are.

It's got 80,000 followers on Twitter and you've got people live Martin Lewis and Dominic Cummings mentioning it who both have huge reach. Personally I think these calls for action tend to die off but with the cost of energy getting to the point where it might actually not be a choice for a lot of people this one could have legs. You've got the different segments of society based on wealth and this particular crisis seems to be getting higher up the wealth ladder than anything I can remember.

You've then got the energy companies announcing record profits whilst also increasing prices with the cap going up every 3 months.

The idea of the Don't Pay is that they're after a million pledges by October 1st which would mean that they couldn't cut everyone off and you'd be forcing the government into action with the energy companies to sort this out as, at present, you've got the cap rising every 3 months and that is now looking like lasting well into 2023 and beyond.

 

[SaintHacker]

Got my backing 100%. Some kind of mass protest that hits the shareholders directly where it hurts is the only way things will change.

 

[theoneandonly]

You'll still have to pay in the end. Plus they can cut you off if you don't.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Got my backing 100%. Some kind of mass protest that hits the shareholders directly where it hurts is the only way things will change.

Unfortunately many of us normal folk are shareholders in these companies.

 

[Foxholer]

Wanted to start a separate thread on this rather than clog up the other energy ones and @bobmac just mentioned it on the Bulb thread so thought it would be interesting to see what people's thoughts are.

It's got 80,000 followers on Twitter and you've got people live Martin Lewis and Dominic Cummings mentioning it who both have huge reach. Personally I think these calls for action tend to die off but with the cost of energy getting to the point where it might actually not be a choice for a lot of people this one could have legs. You've got the different segments of society based on wealth and this particular crisis seems to be getting higher up the wealth ladder than anything I can remember.

You've then got the energy companies announcing record profits whilst also increasing prices with the cap going up every 3 months.

The idea of the Don't Pay is that they're after a million pledges by October 1st which would mean that they couldn't cut everyone off and you'd be forcing the government into action with the energy companies to sort this out as, at present, you've got the cap rising every 3 months and that is now looking like lasting well into 2023 and beyond.

Unfortunately, profits by companies such as energy/fuel companies tend to increase in the period immediately before/as consumer costs increase. So I have some (not much!) sympathy with the companies involved. Martin Lewis is definitely a consumer advocate but Dominic Cummings is not someone I have any respect for! The best thing he could do, imo, is go dig and live in a hole at Barnard Castle!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

And so it seems that mass protest is OK if it’s against something that affects me but not OK if it doesn’t - then it’s just an inconvenience to me getting on with my life? Watch out or there will be legislation constraining this mass protest stuff. Oh hold on…?

In any case isn’t it great that our government sees it as fine to subsidise the power companies profits - as essentially that is what they are doing through their ‘support’ to us and our gas and electricity bills. Funny old world.

 

[road2ruin]

You'll still have to pay in the end. Plus they can cut you off if you don't.

You’re probably correct although if it reaches the million mark (or beyond) who knows where it could end up. Martin Lewis was suggesting it could go the same way as the Poll Tax. The could well be a tipping point especially if you’ve got a lot of those who were previously ‘comfortable’ who suddenly cannot afford it. Something will have to give.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You'll still have to pay in the end. Plus they can cut you off if you don't.

I’m not sure that they can any more, I think legislation was brought in to stop that…might be wrong so will go check.

….checked…they can’t cut you off if you are a pensioner and it’s winter months, otherwise they will most likely put you on a repayment plan rather than cut you off.

 

[SocketRocket]

I’m not sure that they can any more, I think legislation was brought in to stop that…might be wrong so will go check.

….checked…they can’t cut you off if you are a pensioner and it’s winter months, otherwise they will most likely put you on a repayment plan rather than cut you off.

They could install pre-payment meters such that you cut yourself off if you don't pay. However if millions of people don't pay then it would be impossible to install that number of pre-pay meters.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Why has no one asked why energy companies that make a point of their renewable energy amounts still charge the same as the fossil fuel based stuff?
I don’t advocate non payment, to me this is a short term spike. A long term energy use adjustment is a better way in my thinking.

 

[GreiginFife]

Why has no one asked why energy companies that make a point of their renewable energy amounts still charge the same as the fossil fuel based stuff?
I don’t advocate non payment, to me this is a short term spike. A long term energy use adjustment is a better way in my thinking.

Check the Bulb thread, last few posts have been about exactly that.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Why aren't people demanding that the Government be in charge of Energy, as in Ministry of Power etc as it was. Then the nation had someone to demand action from.
Now, it is morally difficult to demand the government control, in effect run, a privately owned company. In the final analysis the government can say it cannot force the situation.
The Poll tax pressure worked because it was the Government you were( not) paying.?

 

[bobmac]

According to some sources, the cost of fuel will increase by 78% on October 1
Fuel companies profits trebling and going through the roof
Billions of £s to shareholders

AND

They get subsidised with significant tax breaks to dig for more oil

What more will it take for the people to say no?

 

[theoneandonly]

According to some sources, the cost of fuel will increase by 78% on October 1
Fuel companies profits trebling and going through the roof
Billions of £s to shareholders

AND

They get subsidised with significant tax breaks to dig for more oil

What more will it take for the people to say no?

A lot of those shareholders are pension funds, not as straight forward as it seems.... But yeah its a load of

 

[bobmac]

A lot of those shareholders are pension funds, not as straight forward as it seems.... But yeah its a load of

£2.7m profit a day, every day.

The problems are caused by spiralling costs which are passed on to the customer.
Just a thought, maybe reduce the obscene increase in profits and instead, make an affordable increase in cost to the customer in line with inflation.
That would get my vote.

 

[Fade and Die]

According to some sources, the cost of fuel will increase by 78% on October 1
Fuel companies profits trebling and going through the roof
Billions of £s to shareholders

AND

They get subsidised with significant tax breaks to dig for more oil

What more will it take for the people to say no?

According to this article they are predicting a rise of 74% after the tax cut u-turn…

https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/e...ediction-rishi-sunak-u-turn-vat-bills-1764613

Here’s a fun fact for you:

The guy who did the U-turn could afford to pay a £3,500 annual energy bill from his personal fortune for 46,751 years without earning anything extra.

Man of the people ?


Maybe a bit of civil unrest is required. I do admire the French is this area. They really do commit to it. Not like our wishy washy protesters... A bit of rioting then all home for tea!

 

[Deleted member 21784]

According to this article they are predicting a rise of 74% after the tax cut u-turn…

https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/e...ediction-rishi-sunak-u-turn-vat-bills-1764613

Here’s a fun fact for you:

The guy who did the U-turn could afford to pay a £3,500 annual energy bill from his personal fortune for 46,751 years without earning anything extra.

Man of the people ?


Maybe a bit of civil unrest is required. I do admire the French is this area. They really do commit to it. Not like our wishy washy protesters... A bit of rioting then all home for tea!

In France it's not a riot unless a lorry has been set on fire

 

[jim8flog]

Got my backing 100%. Some kind of mass protest that hits the shareholders directly where it hurts is the only way things will change.

It is worth remembering that shareholders are not necessarily rich in the first place and many will rely upon dividends to pay their own bills. Lots of shares are actually owned by pension companies and they use the money to pay out the annuities (people who have already started to draw the their pensions).

 

[Pants]

It is worth remembering that shareholders are not necessarily rich in the first place and many will rely upon dividends to pay their own bills. Lots of shares are actually owned by pension companies and they use the money to pay out the annuities (people who have already started to draw the their pensions).

And of course annuities rates paid do not vary according as to how the underlying investments perform. If they do well then the insurance company paying the annuity benefits, not the annuient. With current annuity rates, I cannot see how anyone would be better off long term converting their pension fund to one.

 

[rulefan]

My pension fund has shares in these companies. The dividends pay my pension.