Shareholders profits more important than saving an OAP's life.

[skinz]

There was no evidence of OAPs dying because they couldn't afford to put the heating on. One of the articles even says: Which was entirely my point.

 

Pensioners are usually defined by their age, their age for some defines their ability to live within a social structure. Those that struggle do so because they are unable like you or I to cope. You may be able to multi task rent, mortgage, rates, fuel, food, cooking, cleaning, washing, bathing..many are unable..so unable that when it comes to divvying up at the end of the month it's much simpler to ignore what to them is complex. They'd rather die of cold than read the red letter with WARNING stamped on the front..in essence, they're afraid.

 

As far as "finances are not just the problem", which of the other problems are the fault of the energy firms?

 

Understanding that for a few, profit shouldn't be your prime objective regardless.

[lizmachin]

There's a simple answer,stop power bills going up and pensioners will not need to spend as much pension to pay them,therefore,pensions need not go up as much.......bang.........fox shot.

Alternatively,just threaten the energy companies that they will pull all the investment out of them if they don't cap bills,like banks if people pulled out their money and stopped using them,they would soon realise that they relied on public money to keep them going,instead of them using public money to keep their profits up,then,invest the pension money somewhere else.

 

 

Milliband tells it like it is,corruption,weak government,allowing unbridled capitalism to work against consumers,threats,scare stories...........all designed to keep the status quo in place and the people with vested interests and agendas to flourish.

 

 

 

He said: “It makes me think of the banks. The banks used to threaten, conjure up scare stories, talk about the impact of regulation, and the Conservative Party supported them, and actually we should have had tougher regulation, and so it makes me think that actually we’ve got to do the right thing by the country, and that’s what I’m going to do.” He added: “Threats, scare stories, that’s not the way we should make policy, we should make policy in the national interest, the interest of the British public and that’s what I’m going to do.”

 

 

I suppose it boils down to market forces. If the power companies can't afford to import fuel the exporters will sell it to countries that can. Canada used to sell most of its oil and gas to the USA until they started with shale gas. Now Canada has to look elsewhere. But sure as eggs is eggs they sell to the highest bidder, and if a country can't afford to buy the fuel then the lights go out.

[I1L2T3]

How much left do you expect to be?

 

I wouldn't expect pensioners to be faced with having what little spare cash they have diverted to energy companies earning excess profits. Even the additional winter payments are essentially subsidies for the energy companies.

[SqueakyPete]

Can you find me an example of an OAP that died because they couldn't afford to switch the heating on?

 

Are your really suggesting every Pensioner that dies every year,had money for heating?

[tinfoilhat]

Are your really suggesting every Pensioner that dies every year,had money for heating?

 

It's a bit of an assumption they even had central heating. I've seen a few properties on right move that might have had a coal fire and precious little else.

[Vague_Boy]

because the motive for selling reveals the thoughts of profit over OAP's in winter

 

Why do you think people buy shares in anything?

 

1. To lose money.

2. To make money.

 

If shares are some sort of charitable donation, shouldn't there be a way of claiming back tax on them?

 

 

Because selling their shares means that their profits come first

 

Common sense comes first surely?

 

Again, do people buy shares as some sort of charitable gesture or do they buy them as an investment?

 

in·vest·ment

/inˈves(t)mənt/

Noun

 

1. The action or process of investing money for profit or material result.

2. A thing that is worth buying because it may be profitable or useful in the future.

 

 

Everyone is a shareholder in energy companies because the bills are rising

 

I'm sorry but you have clearly no idea how things in the real world work.

 

 

 

They sold it, which raised money for the government which we the people own.

 

But at what sort of price?

 

Share prices in popular privatisations such as BT and British Gas doubled after these companies were floated on the stock market.

 

LINK

 

That indicates that the government set the share price (£1.35 in the case of British Gas) too low. Billions of pounds lost to the treasury.

[angos]

The average dual fuel bill is about £1300 a year. If a couple is on £220 a week it really depends whether they have to pay rent. Council tax on top. Phone. Food. Not much left is there?

 

The average profit per customer is £125 so there's very little scope to lower that by capping prices, it could be lowered more by using energy more efficiently.

 

---------- Post added 26-09-2013 at 07:10 ----------

 

 

But at what sort of price?

 

 

 

LINK

 

That indicates that the government set the share price (£1.35 in the case of British Gas) too low. Billions of pounds lost to the treasury.

 

Yes they under estimated demand, but wasn't it consumers that bought most of the shares, so ultimately the consumer won.

[Mecky]

i see " Ed the- red Milliband" has been making rash promises to cap the energy companies?? is that a vote winner or what? i wonder if the government pensions invest in energy companies??? how many more schemes can he come up with to try and get the labour vote back....oh yes votes for 16 yr olds:roll:

 

Yes, it's almost as bad as using taxpayers' money to mount a legal bid to challenge the bonus cap of the Dynamic Duo's banker friends. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24273838 I wonder why none of the jack boots have started a thread on this?

[chalga]

Why do you think people buy shares in anything?

 

1. To lose money.

2. To make money.

 

If shares are some sort of charitable donation, shouldn't there be a way of claiming back tax on them?

 

 

 

 

Common sense comes first surely?

 

Again, do people buy shares as some sort of charitable gesture or do they buy them as an investment?

 

in·vest·ment

/inˈves(t)mənt/

Noun

 

1. The action or process of investing money for profit or material result.

2. A thing that is worth buying because it may be profitable or useful in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

They are making money now,the energy companies are making profits now.If bills are kept capped for a short period of time,the profits will still be made,obviously it's not enough for some,so they put the thought of making higher profit over freezing OAP's by selling shares and encouraging energy companies to withdraw investment so the lights go out.....that's how mafia rule,threats and intimidation if someone challenges their empire.

[angos]

They are making money now,the energy companies are making profits now.If bills are kept capped for a short period of time,the profits will still be made,obviously it's not enough for some,so they put the thought of making higher profit over freezing OAP's by selling shares and encouraging energy companies to withdraw investment so the lights go out.....that's how mafia rule,threats and intimidation if someone challenges their empire.

 

Some of the share holders will be pensioners and future pensioners, and they might be relying on profits from their shares to fund their retirement and pay for their future energy needs. Without these profits they might fall short and freeze because of lack of money.