Energy Bills

[Woodworks]

8 hours ago, Squaredy said:

Arguably this is the most unfair system - do you want to pay to subsidise the fuel bills of the super rich?  I do agree it is very difficult however, as you say we certainly don't want a complicated means test for every energy user in the UK.

If this is paid for through general taxation the super rich will be paying their fair share. Mind you thats presuming the super rich pay taxes which often isn't the case!

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, matt padden said:

With your own panels I assume you benefit from the cost but are still susceptible to any power outages as you're not independent from the grid?

Generally yes, the grid has to be live for the inverter to run, but I have not suffered an outage of more than minutes for over 20 years, attached house did for 10 hours last week as one phase was knocked out underground somewhere so they reconnected all those affected to another substation somehow.

 

Most batteries seem to have an emergency power supply capability but I didn't go for that as the extra cost didn't seem justified.

 

I do have a small generator and am still waiting for the electrician to fit a changeover switch, then I'll see if the output is good enough to keep the solar PV system live.

[Johnsond]

19 minutes ago, difflock said:

Fornicate that for a mismanaged game of energy producing soldiers!

And "some" folk STILL want to nationalise energy production!

FF'sS!

One look at the nhs should tell you how it would go. Sad really as in principle I’m for it but the reality is it would probably end up as a total cluster, they’d probably still be working from home due to covid as  HMRC and DVLA did. 

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, Woodworks said:

Mind you thats presuming the super rich pay taxes which often isn't the case!

Yes - my work landlord lets out thousands of properties worth hundreds of millions and when he inherited it from his dad a few years ago inheritance tax was ........nil.

[Retired Climber]

9 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

Yes - my work landlord lets out thousands of properties worth hundreds of millions and when he inherited it from his dad a few years ago inheritance tax was ........nil.

How?

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, Retired Climber said:

How?

Very clever trusts set up by highly paid lawyers.  I don't know all the details, but it is always the case that the people who can afford the very best advisers can usually take advantage of all sorts of loopholes us mortals never even hear about.

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, Squaredy said:

My local solar panel fitting firm are booked up solid for two years with new installations, so I guess more and more people are turning to self generation

My panels were fitted by an  electrician who became MCS registered for my job, as far as I am aware he never fitted any more as when the FIT changed demand fell. He is now considering getting back in to the work but hasn't found the time to visit me and start on my new string of panels :-(

[Retired Climber]

15 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

Very clever trusts set up by highly paid lawyers.  I don't know all the details, but it is always the case that the people who can afford the very best advisers can usually take advantage of all sorts of loopholes us mortals never even hear about.

In my experience, such schemes are useful to kick the can down the road, but are unlikely to solve the issue on a permanent basis. My Father in law has a similar scheme set up, but I'm not convinced it's going to help us much. I've been looking into these issues quite a bit recently; amazing how having children can focus your mind on such matters. 

[Stubby]

2 minutes ago, Retired Climber said:

In my experience, such schemes are useful to kick the can down the road, but are unlikely to solve the issue on a permanent basis. My Father in law has a similar scheme set up, but I'm not convinced it's going to help us much. I've been looking into these issues quite a bit recently; amazing how having children can focus your mind on such matters. 

When my old Dad died the solicitor said " with your allowance , your dead Mums allowance and your Dads  you can have up to one million free of inheritance tax . I just assumed that was the limmit .

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

When my old Dad died the solicitor said " with your allowance , your dead Mums allowance and your Dads  you can have up to one million free of inheritance tax . I just assumed that was the limmit .

Well generally that is pretty much the way it works. 

 

Unless you are in charge of the Duchy of Cornwall or the Duchy of Lancaster, which have special laws.  These two are well known, but as I found out there are other families with royal connections who find ways to avoid inheritance tax and keep it quiet.  I am sure there is a great story there if a good investigative journalist could be bothered to look into it properly.  Sadly most journalists seem to be only good at jumping on the bandwagon and spouting the same half truths and hyperbole as each other.