Unnecessarily complex. The amount of private data you'll have to share with private companies on an ongoing basis to access basic utilities feels frustrating. Why not just use the tax system to fund green levies and social tariffs if that's necessary? www.theguardian.com/money/2025/a... - ThreadSky

anthonypainter.bsky.social • 9 days ago

Unnecessarily complex. The amount of private data you'll have to share with private companies on an ongoing basis to access basic utilities feels frustrating. Why not just use the tax system to fund green levies and social tariffs if that's necessary?

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/apr/15/increased-bills-for-higher-earners-could-fund-uk-energy-upgrade-ofgem-says

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candispillard.bsky.social•5 days ago

It'd be a better idea to have energy be expensive once you've bought the first, cheap, kWhs.
Ofc you'd have to have exceptions for medical reasons, but those are usually already assessed elsewhere and the data can just be ported across (with the person's permission, ofc).

annaclarke.bsky.social•9 days ago

Simply increasing unit costs and removing standing charges would be the simplest way of making higher earners pay more. Anything else is far too complex. Just increase taxes and increase benefits if you want to redistribute more.

oldtrotter.bsky.social•9 days ago

Looks like Ofgem is being lent on to solve two political problems: the pledge to bring energy bills down when there is a substantial fixed cost to investing in renewables; and those tax pledges.

jrlclarke.bsky.social•9 days ago

Agree 100%. It reminds me a lot of the faff we have over energy efficiency improvements, which are similarly confused about whether they are helping the poorest or cutting carbon.

Labour have been so much worse at making policy than I anticipated.

econorfolk.bsky.social•9 days ago

Stupid idea is stupid. Easier to track those on benefits and I would argue that benefits levels are the issue rather than a utility getting involved. We should scrap the standing charge but that is unlikely

jrlclarke.bsky.social•9 days ago

Agree on unnecessarily complex. I can’t understand what the objective is.

I agree with others that we should get rid of standing charges. I’ve also wondered whether we should look at higher unit costs for users over a certain consumption level.

indy.bsky.social•9 days ago

Step 1 of an actual fair system would be to ditch the standing charge.

anthonypainter.bsky.social•9 days ago

Yes, it's a bit of an energy poll tax.

tairmuir.bsky.social•9 days ago

They will lazily base it on the council tax band of the house

stephenjarvis.bsky.social•9 days ago

I'm all for getting the energy prices right to ensure they produce the right incentives, and then using the tax and welfare system to remedy issues of fairness/affordability. But in a world where big tax/spend changes are politically off the table this is potentially the least worst option.

anthonypainter.bsky.social•9 days ago

Granted. But I sense the politics of this are pretty ugly too. I may be wrong.

thefatfryer.bsky.social•9 days ago

Agreed. If they are wanting to charge higher earners more is that not just income tax by another name?

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