Latest news with #energybill
Fox News
2 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
SCOOP: House GOP circles wagons on Trump tax-and-spend bill as Senate seeks changes
The House GOP is quietly mounting a pressure campaign on the Senate to accept its version of President Donald Trump's "one big, beautiful bill" even as lawmakers in the upper chamber signal they'll be making changes. Tensions are simmering between Republicans in the two chambers as they work to pass a massive tax, immigration and energy bill via the budget reconciliation process. The House Budget Committee held a staff-level communications briefing on Monday, two sources told Fox News Digital, the same day the Senate returned from the Memorial Day week recess to begin consideration of the massive bill. Senate Republicans have vowed to tweak the House's offering to varying degrees, with some wanting to tackle even deeper spending cuts and others wanting to soften the blows to Medicaid and green energy subsidies. While lawmakers in the upper chamber are still working out the kinks of their approach, they agree the bill will be different. Both sources interpreted the meeting as a way to get ahead of Senate Republicans' criticism of certain aspects of the bill. Documents viewed by Fox News Digital that were handed to House Republican aides show specific talking points about the bill's taxpayer savings, Medicaid provisions and green energy subsidy rollbacks, among other topics. The document pushed back on the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate that the bill would add more than $2 trillion to the deficit over a decade. "The cost of the bill ($4.12 trillion) is surpassed by the savings ($4.29 trillion) associated with mandatory spending reforms ($1.7 trillion) and economic growth ($2.6 trillion)," the document said. It suggested House Republicans assume 2.6% economic growth over 10 years rather than the CBO's unprecedentedly low 1.8%. "House Budget is desperately circling the wagons with staff and members to make sure they do not forget the fight is not over on messaging why their bill is better than their Senate rivals," one House GOP aide told Fox News Digital. "They got jammed with the Senate version in the blueprint round and are using every tool at their disposal to make sure it doesn't happen again." A senior House GOP aide also told Fox News Digital, "The Senate should heed President Trump's wishes to get [the bill] to his desk before July 4th." The House passed its version of the legislation late last month after a marathon all-night session full of debate and Democrat procedural motions to delay. The mammoth bill is aimed at permanently extending Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act while also including new tax relief for senior citizens and eliminating taxes on tipped and overtime wages. It would also send new funding to the U.S.-Mexico border and to enhance Immigrations and Customs Enforcement while rolling back a significant portion of the green energy subsidies from the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). To save money and cut down on what Republicans see as waste, fraud and abuse of government safety nets, the bill would introduce Medicaid work requirements for certain able-bodied recipients beginning in December 2026. It would penalize states that allowed illegal immigrants into the Affordable Care Act-expanded Medicaid population while rewarding states that did not. Both the IRA subsidies and Medicaid reforms are emerging as pain points for the Senate GOP's three-seat majority. The document obtained by Fox News Digital appears to target specific senators' concerns. For example, one portion of the Q&A specifically said, "No," the bill does not put rural hospitals at risk. "The bill reinvests funds to reopen rural emergency hospitals and ensure cost-effective care access," the messaging guidance said. On the rescinded IRA funds, it said, "The bill targets unused or duplicative funds from programs such as the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants and sustainable jet fuel. These projects aligned more with ideological goals than infrastructure priorities." Another note mentioned the electric vehicle (EV) credit rollback, arguing it would "ensure all vehicles contribute to the Highway Trust Fund." "EVs cause more wear and tear due to their higher weight but pay no fuel taxes. The bill imposes modest user fees starting no later than the end of FY 2026 and terminates in FY 2035, indexed to inflation," it said. But it's not clear that senators with those concerns will heed the House's arguments right now. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told reporters Tuesday, "It's going to hurt rural hospitals in my state." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged to reporters on Tuesday that while there was discontent over "individual pieces" of the bill, Republicans must agree on something that will pass the chamber. "Failure is not an option. We've got to get to 51, so we'll figure out the path forward to do that over the next couple of weeks," Thune said. Other senators, meanwhile, have argued they want to make deeper cuts than what the House came up with. "The House bill, they're not even scratching the surface. It's not even the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we need to do to return to a reasonable, pre-pandemic-level spending," Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said on Fox Business last week. When reached for comment, the House Budget Committee referred Fox News Digital to recent comments by Chair Jodey Arrington, R-Texas. "Some senators will say we went too far on entitlement reform and health care and welfare, and then you'll have ... [f]olks like [Sens.] Rick Scott, Ron Johnson, who are dear friends of mine, all well-intentioned, will say we don't cut enough spending," Arrington said on Fox News last week. "Well, the fact is, you can only cut as much as you can get the vote to pass it out of your chamber. And we cut almost $1.7 trillion in spending, which is the largest spending cuts in American history by twofold." "There's always room for improvement, and I welcome that, especially on the fiscal reform side, but we've got to get the votes."
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Man hit with £8,000 energy bill in case of 'mistaken identity' - thanks to his extremely common name
A man hit with an £8,500 energy bill for an address he never lived at claims it was a case of mistaken identity due to his extremely common name. Iain Smith, 35, was contacted by OVO Energy telling him he needed to foot the staggering £7654.77 bill for electric last October. But Iain says he was living with friends for the period the bill covers and had never lived at the address in question. He noticed the credit report listed an 'Ian Smith', spelt differently to Iain and a different bank account to his own. Determined to get the bill scrapped - which has now risen to £8569.21 - Iain complained to OVO but after failing to get it resolved he decided to go to the Energy Ombudsman. The Ombudsman informed him he wasn't liable for the cost and despite an appeal from OVO the decision was upheld and the energy have been ordered to scrap the charge. To date, Iain claims this hasn't been done, and the bill continues to rise. An OVO spokesperson said he has been removed from the account. Iain, a security officer from Leicester, said: 'It has been very distressing - to get an email saying I owed nearly £8,000 was a bit of a shock. 'It's affected my work - I need to have a clear head for my job. To have this all on top of it, they're treating me like scum, really. 'To me, they are thieves, trying to steal money from me. 'I have no connection to this address whatsoever. I didn't have my own property until January this year.' Because he had no fixed address at the time, Iain struggled to provide evidence supporting the fact he didn't live at the address. He said: 'They were adamant I had to pay it. At the time they were sending these emails, I was homeless. 'I contacted them and told them I couldn't provide evidence of where I lived as I was on the streets. 'It was clear to the Energy Ombudsman that something had gone wrong and that I wasn't at that property. 'I have never had a Barclay's credit account, and that's what they had linked on the credit report. 'It was a different Mr Smith, different age, and completely different address. 'You could see the name on the credit report. I'm Iain, and he's Ian, but he has different spellings and middle names.' After the Ombudsman ultimately ruled in Iain's favour, they asked OVO to remove the charge. But Iain claims this hasn't been done. He said: 'OVO appealed and lost. 'The decision was then upheld and became legally binding. 'They were told to remove my name from the account, pay me £200 compensation, send a letter of apology, and remove any markers on my account. 'They were given 28 days to do that and they haven't. I'm shocked that they are treating the public like this. 'Throughout the investigation, they would not stop contacting me for the money, and the debt rose. 'It's now gone silent - the account is still in my name; they haven't removed it.' Iain has now asked the Ombudsman to escalate his case to Ofgem and believes this sort of thing can be avoided with more stringent checks. He added: 'There's a massive issue here. When you set up an electric account, you don't have to prove who you are. No ID required. 'It's an oversight - it opens the floodgates for fraud.' An OVO spokesperson said: 'We can confirm Mr Smith has been removed from the account and have sent a goodwill gesture to apologise for the experience.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
‘Looming crisis' as 100,000 energy meters STILL being used ahead of RTS switch off in days
AN ENERGY meter warning has been issued to 100,000 customers that they face a huge bill hike if they do not take urgent action. Homes with electricity meters that use the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) need to upgrade to a smart meter before June 30 - when the service is being switched off. 1 The switch off will mean that anyone with an RTS meter could find their heating or hot water does not work properly. Some of these meters automatically turn the heating and hot water system on and off at different times during the day. So those who do not switch in time risk permanently running their heating during peak time. This could cause huge bill hikes for those who do not switch before the deadline. More than 100,000 households still have these meters, according to the latest official figures. Scotland's national advice service has warned of a 'looming crisis' over the slow replacement of thousands of ageing energy meters. Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said vulnerable households were among those at risk of being 'left in the cold'. In a letter to Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley, he warned that many households are still unaware of what will happen if their RTS meter is not replaced. In the letter Mr Bartlett called for energy suppliers to identify and prioritise vulnerable customers for meter upgrades. He also suggested that there should be a fresh public information campaign. He said: 'With less than a month to go until the RTS signal starts being switched off across the country, it is increasingly clear that progress on replacing them has not been fast enough. 'Ofgem needs to urgently clarify if it intends to stick to the June 30 deadline and if a phased approach is being taken, which parts of Scotland will be affected first." He said that there has been a lot of confusion among affected customers. Some have tried to have their RTS meter replaced but have been told that is not possible until after the switch off. He added: 'At a time when thousands of people are struggling with energy debts and the cost of living, nobody should be left out of pocket for replacing their meter either. 'Our message to consumers is that if you know someone with an RTS meter, especially if they are vulnerable, encourage them to get it replaced before the deadline if they can.' In one case, a 69-year-old from Wishaw in North Lanarkshire said she had spent £700 to fix her kitchen after she was forced to install a smart meter ahead of the switch off. Other customers have been told that they cannot get their meter replaced until well after the June 30 deadline. A landlord in Edinburgh said he had been offered an appointment on July 28. Several energy suppliers have also warned customers that they need to act. Octopus Energy warned thousands of its customers of the switch off at the end of January. Meanwhile, Next urged 65,000 customers to take action to avoid being cut off. Plus EDF contacted 60,000 of its customers to warn them of the deadline. Energy regulator Ofgem was forced to step in last year as energy providers were initially slow with the roll out. Currently, suppliers are switching 1,000 RTS meters a day. But in order to meet the target of switching 400,000 homes the figure would need to rise to 5,000 homes a day. Meanwhile, many households do not even realise that they have an RTS meter and need to switch. How to tell if you have an RTS meter It is easy to tell if you have an RTS meter. The oldest RTS-powered meters have a switch box labelled 'Radio Teleswitch' next to the electric meter. Others may have the RTS switch box within the electric meter as a single box on the wall. One way to tell is if you get cheaper energy at different times of the day. You might be on a tariff called Economy 7, Economy 10 or Total Heat Total Control. Another way to tell is if your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters, Energy UK suggests. RTS meters are also often used in areas with no gas supply, for example with high rise flats or houses in rural areas. If your home is in one of these locations then you should check your meter. If you are still unsure then contact your supplier and ask if you have RTS equipment. They should be able to tell you if you do. If you have one of these meters then you should book a smart meter installation as soon as possible. .
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE How much will YOUR energy bill drop this summer? Interactive calculator reveals how gas and electricity bills will fall from July
A new online calculator has revealed how much your energy bill will fall this summer as experts hailed the reduction as a 'glimmer of good news' for households. Ofgem confirmed today that energy bills will drop by 7 per cent from July - impacting the bills of 35million households on a variable rate for their gas and electricity. The typical bill will drop by £129 to £1,720 per year under the new price cap, which sets the limit on how much firms can charge customers per unit of energy. The fall is welcome news to struggling families still battling the cost-of-living crisis after a spike in the rate of inflation, which rose to 3.5 per cent last month. The price cap covering England, Wales and Scotland does not limit total bills because householders still pay for the amount of energy they consume. But households can now get an idea of the amount by which their bills will fall, thanks to a widget from AI household money saving firm Greg Marsh, chief executive and co-founder Nous, said: 'Falling energy prices offer a glimmer of good news to households still struggling with the rising cost of living. 'Unfortunately this isn't enough to counteract the impact of 'Awful April'. 'Our Nous research found a typical household was left £451 worse off as a result of energy, water, council tax, mobile, broadband and entertainment subscriptions all shooting up last month. 'With all of us losing out on such significant sums, it's crucial we don't end up overpaying on our bills. Unfortunately, almost all of us are.' He added that 'staying on top of our contracts takes up valuable time and energy', with many people not realising 'they were paying far more than they needed to'. The July price cap is £660 (28 per cent) lower than at the height of the energy crisis at the start of 2023 when the government implemented the energy price guarantee. However, prices remain elevated with the upcoming level £152 (10 per cent) higher than the same period last year. Ahead of the next rise, the price cap since April is currently set at around £1,849 for a typical household after three consecutive increases in bills. But it is now going to fall after US President Donald Trump 's aggressive tariff plans led to a significant slump in gas and oil prices. Q&A: What is the energy price cap and how does it work? What is the energy price cap? The price cap sets a maximum price that energy suppliers can charge consumers in England, Scotland and Wales for each kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy they use. Regulator Ofgem changes the cap for households every three months, largely based on the cost of energy on wholesale markets. What is the update today? The typical bill will drop by £129 to £1,720 per year when the regulator's 7 per cent drop in the price cap comes into force in July. How does this compare to before? The latest level is £660 (28 per cent) lower than at the height of the energy crisis at the start of 2023 when the government implemented the energy price guarantee. However, prices remain elevated with the upcoming level £152 (10 per cent) higher than the same period last year. How do actual bills vary? The price cap does not limit total bills because householders still pay for the amount of energy they consume. The figures given are just for an average bill. How long has the cap existed? The cap was introduced by the Government in January 2019. What about other bills? Households have endured an 'awful April' of bill rises, including Ofgem's last 6.4 per cent price cap increase. Britons were also hit with the biggest increase to water bills since at least February 1988, alongside steep rises across bills for council tax, mobile and broadband tariffs, as well as road tax. Bill increases have led to Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation jumping to 3.5 per cent in April, up from 2.6 per cent in March and the highest since January 2024. Should you move onto a fixed deal? Which? urged households still on a price cap-linked standard tariff to consider moving to a fixed deal. The consumer group recommends looking for deals cheaper than the price cap, not longer than 12 months and without significant exit fees. Those on a fixed deal which will be more expensive than the July price cap are advised to check their exit fees and consider switching if they are on a deal with no charges to leave early. However, the predicted drop is slightly less than the previously forecast 9 per cent fall following an easing of trade tensions in recent weeks. Cornwall Insight said it expects the reduced price cap to be followed by a 'modest drop' this October and another similar dip in January next year. The price cap does not limit total bills because householders still pay for the amount of energy they consume. However, news of a fall in energy costs will come as a relief for households, who suffered through an 'awful April' of bill rises, including Ofgem's last 6.4 per cent price cap increase. Under-pressure households have also been hit with the biggest increase to water bills since at least February 1988, alongside steep rises across bills for council tax, mobile and broadband tariffs, as well as road tax. Bill increases have led to Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation jumping to 3.5 per cent in April, up from 2.6 per cent in March and the highest since January 2024. Tim Jarvis, director general of markets at Ofgem, said: 'A fall in the price cap will be welcome news for consumers, and reflects a reduction in the international price of wholesale gas. 'However, we're acutely aware that prices remain high, and some continue to struggle with the cost of energy. 'The first thing I want to remind people is that you don't have to pay the price cap - there are better deals out there so it's important to shop around, and talk to your existing supplier about the best deal they can offer you. 'And changing your payment method to direct debit or smart pay as you go can save you up to £136. 'In the longer term, we need an energy system where prices are insulated from the volatile international gas market, and which ensures more stable prices and energy security. 'And we're working closely with government to get the investment we need to reach our clean power and net zero targets as quickly as possible. 'We're also doing everything we can to support consumers today and pushing ahead with more changes to help consumers. 'This includes working on ways to support those trapped in energy debt and bringing in reforms to standing charge tariffs for this winter.' Ofgem changes the price cap for households every three months, largely based on the cost of energy on wholesale markets. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the fall in energy bills from July is welcome but stressed that the Government will continue to work towards clean energy to get off the 'rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets'. 'This fall in energy bills is welcome news for families across the country and will mean that working people keep more of their money in the coming months. 'However, we know that it is only through our mission for clean, homegrown power that we can get off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators and petrostates - and give families and businesses energy security and bring down bills for good. 'As we take back control, we are doing everything we can to support people - from consulting on expanding the £150 warm home discount to around six million households next winter, to upgrading thousands of homes so they are warmer and cost less to heat, to reforming our energy market so consumers are better protected.' The energy price cap was introduced by the Government in January 2019 and sets a maximum price that energy suppliers can charge consumers in England, Scotland and Wales for each kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy they use. Citizens Advice chief executive Clare Moriarty said: 'This drop in energy prices will ease the burden of high bills for some households. 'But the Government must not lose perspective: bills will still be 52 per cent higher than before the energy crisis and nearly seven million people live in households that have fallen behind on bills. 'Today's announcement will be cold comfort to the millions paying off a mountain of debt on top of their monthly costs. Why you should still consider moving off standard tariffs and onto better deals MailOnline's financial expert Simon Lambert, publisher of This is Money, says that although the energy price cap has fallen, households should still consider moving off standard tariffs and onto better deals. He said: 'The energy price cap was designed as a backstop to prevent households who didn't switch energy bills from being hugely overcharged but ended up being a vital protection in the energy crisis, when the ability to find new fixed rate deals vanished. 'However, that's not the case anymore. There are a raft of fixed rate energy gas and electricity deals that are much cheaper than the energy price cap and people should seriously consider switching. 'Not only could you save up to £200 a year on the new price cap, but you will lock in their energy at a lower rate and protect yourself against any potential hikes next autumn and winter.' This is Money's regularly updated round-up of the best fixed energy deals that beat the price cap, can help you compare costs. 'The Government has said it hopes to provide more support to pensioners this winter but we know that people with children are often struggling most of all with energy. 'It must provide more targeted energy bill support to those hardest hit, and upgrade five million homes with money-saving energy efficiency measures.' And Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: 'The Government's reverse ferret on Winter Fuel Payments are a clear sign that ministers know that people are struggling with energy bills - but sticking-plaster solutions and U-turns won't help people in the long-term. 'While bills may fall slightly in July, they're still significantly higher than before the energy crisis and remain tied to the unpredictable cost of fossil fuels. 'Without urgent reform and real investment, millions will continue to face unaffordable bills and cold homes.' Which? urged households still on a price cap-linked standard tariff to consider moving to a fixed deal. Natalie Hitchins, Which? home products and services editor, said: 'As a rule of thumb, we'd recommend looking for deals cheaper than the price cap, not longer than 12 months and without significant exit fees. 'If you are on a fixed deal which will be more expensive than the July price cap then it's worth checking your exit fees and considering switching if you are on a deal with no charges to leave early.' Richard Neudegg, director of regulation at Uswitch, said: 'A 7 per cent fall in the price cap from July will reduce the average annual bill by £129 for the millions of customers still sitting on a standard tariff - a welcome break in the clouds in time for summer. 'But the savings from fixed deals are far bigger than this drop. The cheapest fixed deal could save the average household £203 a year compared with the July price cap. 'Millions of homes are already paying cheaper rates than the new July cap, after switching to a fixed deal. 'There are plenty of fixed deals still available that beat both the current and July energy rates. So for households still sitting on a standard tariff linked to the price cap, now is a great moment to lock in fixed savings before the winter gloom returns.'
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Challenging Your Energy Bills
Here's everything you need to know from Harry Kind's item about challenging your energy bills! £7 million repayments:Ten suppliers — including EDF, and Octopus — are paying out £7 million after overcharging customers with a certain type of setup known as Restricted Meter Infrastructure. That's when a property has more than one electricity meter point recording energy suppliers are allowed to charge multiple standing charges in those cases — but the total amount some customers were charged ended up going over the price cap, which isn't now paying out £5.6 million in refunds and £1.4 million in goodwill payments, and the refunds are automatic — so if you're owed money, you should get it back without doing anything at all - win!If you've switched supplier since January 2019 (when this issue started), your old supplier should contact you to arrange a refund. Reasons to challenge your energy bill:If you're going to make a complaint the first thing you need to establish is why you think you're being overcharged. This can happen for a variety of reasons:You've been overcharged by your supplier:You've been sent an estimated bill:If you don't have a smart meter - or have it in smart mode - you need to send regular readings to your supplier. If you don't, you get estimated bills, which could be too high. For example, if you skip summer readings, your bill might be based on higher winter usage. So keep an eye on your usage according to previous bills and send monthly readings!There's a sudden spike in the energy you're using:Often when your energy bill jumps sharply it's because of a broken appliance in your house that's using more energy than it's supposed to be: for instance a broken heat pump or a whasher/drier that's running 24 hours per day. So always make sure you check your appliances. You've been charged for the wrong meter:This is more common than you'd think, especially in flats. You might actually be paying for your neighbour's usage or communal lighting without a quick step-by-step guide to check if your meter matches your address:Compare MPAN on meter to online: You can find out if the electricity meter on your bill is correct by comparing the Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) on your bill with the MPAN registered to your address. The MPAN is a unique registration number for your Network Operator: First, you need to find who your electricity network operator is. This is different from your electricity supplier. Find your electricity network operator on the Power Cut 105 supplier and MPAN: When you've found your electricity network, use the 'Find my supplier' service on their website. It will also tell you the MPAN for your the MPANs don't match you should contact your electricity the MPANs match but you're still worried the bill is wrong, you can compare readings. Check the reading on your meter and compare it with the reading on the bill. If there's a big difference you should contact your been back billed:If your gas or electricity supplier believes you have not been accurately billed for energy you've used, they may send you a back bills are sometimes called 'catch up' bills, and are intended to cover a period where you've used energy but have not been charged for it – usually due to a billing if you're a bit suspicious about a lack of bills it's probably worth reaching out because it is still your legal responsibility to pay for the energy you're firms are banned from back-billing you for energy used more than 12 months before the error was detected, if it's found that it's the energy supplier's fault for not sending you your the ban doesn't apply to customers who actively prevent suppliers from taking readings. If you were at fault, they can back-bill you for up to six exception is people who are on a heat network, who can be backbilled for up to 18 you think you have a faulty meterAlthough your supplier is responsible for making sure your meter works properly, meter faults are rare, and if your bill is higher than expected, it's usually caused by something might be worth looking into getting a smart meter - it reduces mistakes, it means you don't have estimated bills, the energy companies are eager to install you call out engineers and the meter is faulty, they'll replace it and refund if it's not faulty, they could charge you up to £200, so only request a test if you're confident something's are different ways to test different meters: find out some more information here., external How to complainContact the customer service team of you energy supplier by phone, email or letter. You can find contact details on its sure you keep everything laid out clearly in writing — loads of evidence helps. That means bills, photos of your meter, and any correspondence with your go-to method for keeping everything is using a WhatsApp chat with myself. That was you can add to your collection any time, it's all backed up and you can organise it further from disputes can take up to 8 weeks to resolve, so it's worth keeping everything plenty of support available from Citizens Advice, external (or the consumer council, external if you're in Northern Ireland) for making these also recommend joining the Priority Services Register, external if you are eligible. They can help with your bills, but also if you're about to make a complaint it's worth checking your eligibility and registering ahead of time as it can make the complaints process a little bit smoother - for instance you could nominate person that can take care of correspondence for you. Contacting the OmbudsmanIf your complaint hasn't been resolved 8 weeks after it was submitted, or you recieve a letter from your energy supplier that says you've reached a deadlock, it's time to contact the Energy Ombudsmn. You have 12 months from the time you reach deadlock or get a final response to make your complaint. You can contact them by phone, email, post or their website here, is a completely free service, so don't give your money away to people who say they'll do it for you. If you require assistance, sign up to the Priority Service Register mentioned earlier and say that you'd like to nominate someone to take care of communications for you.
