Take a look at the picture above....it's a man trying to work out his gas and electricity bill.
Well, British Gas has just become the latest supplier to increase its prices dramatically, hot on the heels of Scottish Power thereby putting BG back in it's place as the country's most expensive energy supplier. God alone knows why so many people buy from them! They must be nuts...
Anyway, I get my gas and electric from Scottish Power who you will recall put their prices up by an 'average' of 10% and 19% so I thought I'd just share with you exactly what that maths means when it says 'average'
Here are the old and new figures for my no standing charge tariff together with the actual percentage increases :
Electric (quoted as +10%) :
First 225 KWh/quarter up from 15.012p to 20.529p - up 37%
Remainder in the quarter up from 8.745p to 10.378p - up 19%
Gas (quoted as +19%) :
First 670 KWh/quarter up from 5.152p to 7.66p - up 49%
Remainder in the quarter up from 2.196p to 3.524p - up 60%
Anyone see a pattern here? Yep, you spotted it - the 10% and 19% figures quoted are complete and utter bollocks...
Being a reasonable sort of chap (yes, really), I asked for an explanation. The answer is of course that the increases publicised are based on an 'industry standard model' for an 'average user' based on the standard tariff. The problem is of course that only a nutter would be on the standard tariff because there's always a cheaper one available. And of course no-one actually fits the average user profile anyway.
So there you have it. We are being misled and ripped off yet again.
No wonder these bastards are making record profits...
6 comments:
Unscrupulous thieving bastards.
Nicely put, Jacobite!
This reminds me of the stealth taxes that the dreaded Brooon used to insult our intelligence with. If you are going to increase my bill by 37% then tell me straight and exlain it - don't give me a load of bollux about it being 10% and then tell 'of coursethat's only an average'!
It's a bit like telling me that there is a discount of 'up to 50%' and then giving me sod all, because after all zero IS up to 50%
Just like the surgeon telling you that the operation you are about to under go has a 50% success rate, for 50% of the people undergoing that particular procedure that information is very encouraging.
That's why surgeons always get you to pay in advance!
This really is a national outrage. The whole of the Energy Utility cartel is ripping us all off.
They are even forcing small energy companies out of business to preserve their markets.
But when will the govt doing anything about it?
Don't hold your breath.
Did the same calculation when notified of the increases .Requested customer services to calculate the ACTUAL increase to my Energy saver 11 account to confirm my figures and yes guess what, the diatribe I had back was also a load of bollocks.
I reckon those of us that understand simple arithmetic are few and far between and that includes the Media who are very quick to print or broadcast extremely misleading figures.
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