Letter to the Editor: A letter to Mark Harper:

I like to think I am a fairly level headed person but...

I have just been closely looking at my personal energy costs

I have managed to cut our personal use as much as possible, now cooking mostly in an air fryer or microwave and not put heating on yet.

However! Shell energy have  upped my monthly payment and are now wanting £220 a month ( I live in a bungalow) and despite me being over £580 in credit!

I have also noticed my standing charge has had a 300 per cent increase since February!

To some  degree I get the fuel costs,  but why do they have to add injury to insult by a 300 per cent increase in standing charges? (It was combined 26p a day in February 22 now it’s now almost 80p a day).

As they have made so much in profit and the standing charge is used for maintaining the infrastructure this is just insulting to us.

Please could you query this in Parliament why they are able to increase this aspect so much and in such dire times please?

More importantly,  I also note the £65 billion  the government has made in order to help us all with these costs. Thank you.

However, there are roughly 29 million homes in the UK.

Could you not have offered the homeowner an off-grid solar system on every house  which would cost around £85 billion?

They are £3,000-£4,000   for a complete 10KW off-grid kit (Available on Amazon right now).

Much more electric than most households would use annually, this would also help phase out gas.

Over-generated/unused power would go back to the grid to support larger business.

Was this even considered? As it’s a fairly permanent solution – unlike the wasted £65 billion – one-off payment for just this year!

Am I missing a crucial factor? I would be interested in your thoughts on both of the issues highlighted. 

Nicholas Dring, Lydney.