Your Personal Income Details Given To Private Companies.

[jambutty]

I’m a bit surprised that no one has picked on the latest government initiative where the government intends to reveal the details of all those people on benefits to the energy companies.

The object of this crackpot idea is to try and mitigate the ever-rising energy prices. They are due to go up again later this year.

The government could do just that by removing the VAT charged but then the un-elected ‘snouts in the trough’ in Brussels wouldn’t allow it.

Or is this yet another daft initiative to keep us arguing amongst ourselves and taking our eyes off the real issues, like the promised referendum.

[Tin Monkey]

You need to tell the full story so that people can make an informed opinion for themselves. Are you a prospective politician yourself?

The idea is that energy companies will have to ensure that people on low incomes are on the most economic tariff available, as many people don't follow the different 'plans' available on energy prices. I don't qualify for any kind of initiative and always miss out, as I'm in the hardest hit demographic group.

[cashman]

to most people Fuel Prices are more of a "Real Issue" than a referendum jambutty, at least i think so.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

You need to tell the full story so that people can make an informed opinion for themselves. Are you a prospective politician yourself?

The idea is that energy companies will have to ensure that people on low incomes are on the most economic tariff available, as many people don't follow the different 'plans' available on energy prices. I don't qualify for any kind of initiative and always miss out, as I'm in the hardest hit demographic group.

Thats the idea TM but the worst off in our society will still miss out, people with pre payment meters will miss out again, the scheme has been critiised by lot of leading charities

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

You need to tell the full story so that people can make an informed opinion for themselves. Are you a prospective politician yourself?

The idea is that energy companies will have to ensure that people on low incomes are on the most economic tariff available, as many people don't follow the different 'plans' available on energy prices. I don't qualify for any kind of initiative and always miss out, as I'm in the hardest hit demographic group.

You’re right. I should have told the full story. But I left something out deliberately so that others could come back with the details and thus make a meaningful contribution to the thread rather than just taking a sly dig at me.

The object of this deplorable exercise, which you have got wrong, is that, in theory, it will affect those people on benefits who spend more than 10% of their income on gas and electric. Once identified the energy companies are then supposed to target those people so that they can make their homes more energy efficient with grants and to offer them the lowest tariff.

There is a major snag in this, in that the lowest tariff is being supplied with gas and electricity from the same company and opting for monthly DD. The most controllable tariff from the viewpoint of the customer on benefits is the pre-paid meter, which is the most expensive. It has been quoted that on average the difference between the two extremes is around £150 per year, or if you like about £3 per week.

Not too long ago one of my grandchildren was made redundant and the mortgage interest on the house that she was buying became unserviceable. Thus she had to sell up at a loss and rent a house. This rented house had pre-paid meters already installed and the energy company refused to change them to a cheaper tariff. We can only guess why but I’m willing to bet that it was all down to cash up front to the energy company with a pre-payment meter rather than payment in arrears as with a quarterly meter.

The other problem is that I should imagine that the majority of people on benefits are in rented accommodation so they won’t be eligible for a grant. It would be up to the landlord to go down that road.

The energy company will know which of their customers spends how much on their energy bill but they won’t know their income or its source. On the other hand the government will know what benefits a particular person gets but will not know how much they spend on energy. To ensure that the energy company gets all the information it requires to adhere to the government initiative the government will have to reveal the benefit income details of EVERYONE on benefits whether they spend 10% of their income on energy or not.

Apart from all that would anyone be happy that a private company knows their income and its source?

Maybe this is the government getting revenge on the electorate for forcing the disclosure of their second home expenses?

Finally to answer your puerile question – At 71 and at best not in the best of health and at worst I shouldn’t be here, not being a cheat and a liar I have no designs on becoming a politician.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by cashman

to most people Fuel Prices are more of a "Real Issue" than a referendum jambutty, at least i think so.

I agree cashman but if we were out of the EU, which would be the probable result of a referendum, we might be able to force Brown or would it be Darling to de-vat energy costs for at least domestic users.

Being tangled up with the EU as we are has enabled many EU companies to take over many of our utilities and the profits that they generate (from our pockets) goes abroad and doesn’t stay in this country.

[polly]

Now the question that springs to my mind is:

What happens in mixed hou8sholds where one partner is working and the other is on benefits. will our wonderful (sic) goverment be disclosing those households (part) income to a third party?

This goverment seem determined to get themselves kicked out at the earliest possible opportunity.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by jambutty

I agree cashman but if we were out of the EU, which would be the probable result of a referendum, we might be able to force Brown or would it be Darling to de-vat energy costs for at least domestic users.

Being tangled up with the EU as we are has enabled many EU companies to take over many of our utilities and the profits that they generate (from our pockets) goes abroad and doesn’t stay in this country.

thats fair comment, aint too sure of a referendum outcome meself though, too many are so disalusioned reckon they wouldn't bother voting, thats my thoughts anyway.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by cashman

thats fair comment, aint too sure of a referendum outcome meself though, too many are so disalusioned reckon they wouldn't bother voting, thats my thoughts anyway.

If there were any chance that the referendum would go the way the government wanted it to we would have had one ages ago.

The only reason why Brown and Blair before him refused us the promised referendum was because there were doubts about which way it would go and there was a better than even chance that it would go against what the government wants. So they trumped up the “this new constitution is different and the promise only applied to the old constitution and they made no promise on that”.

[cashman]

understand why they are scared of one, but even so i aint convinced of the outcome of one, i think they may be the same.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by cashman

understand why they are scared of one, but even so i aint convinced of the outcome of one, i think they may be the same.

Apart from some jiggery pokery with a few words I am led to believe that they are essentially the same.

Ask yourself this – if you wanted a particular outcome in a vote but had strong suspicions that the vote may not go your way and you could spin your way round not having a vote, would you allow the vote?

[cashman]

i just said that i thought?

[Tin Monkey]

JB is too intelligent for simple mortals like me. I'll leave it there.

[emamum]

since i seem to be one of the people that this is aimed at since i am on benefits and spent more than 10% of my income on gas and electric, guess i better stick my two penneth in..... I am on benefits so all my income details are already shared with the government (as are everyone elses), i have gas and electric in my house so.... my information is already there... i dont see how this will be any different, apart from the fact that the government tell them they have to give me the best deal, that will save me money! GREAT!

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by polly

What happens in mixed hou8sholds where one partner is working and the other is on benefits.

Am I missing something here. If you're partner is working how does the other one calim benefits ? Or are you classing tax credits as benefits ?