Alice Henderson

@MartinSLewis @Ed_Miliband Two weeks ago the price per litre of heating oil was 56p. Today it is 136p. This is from prices on BoilerJuice. Totally unaffordable to pay over £700 for the minimum order of 500lites. Why is heating oil cost not regulated at all @ofgem?

Just got off the phone after @Ed_Miliband called to discuss in detail the problems people are facing with domestic energy bills and heating oil. Here's what I fed through - your feedback would be useful... 1. HEATING OIL: This is the most immediate concern as many, often in rural areas or N. Ireland, are refuelling their tanks. Prices have rocketed, a few even suggest they've nearly doubled in a week. My biggest concerns are... a) Those who can't afford the new price b) Lack of specific regulation as heating oil isn't covered by Ofgem (though that's a longer-term issue) c) Some have anecdotally reported existing booked-in orders being cancelled, and being asked to rebook at much higher prices. I want to firm up whether this is widespread... I'd like to hear specific examples of how much prices are rising, especially of point c) and will pass them through to the Department for Energy. 2. CONSUMER GAS & ELECTRICITY BILLS: This is less imminent, but a potential ticking cost time-bomb. I'm focused on the Eng, Scot & Welsh system here... - In the short term: Most bills are protected from the spike in wholesale energy prices as the Energy Price Cap is set based on a significant time-lag. In fact it is locked in to DROP 6.7% in April. Those not on the Price Cap are mainly on existing fixes (which, due to unprecedented prior policy changes, will see most suppliers cut existing fix rates on 1 April, typically by 7% to 9%) so are also price protected for now. One current concern is the lack of availability of cheap fixes. While that's frustrating, in the short term it means those whose existing fixes are ending, will just (hopefully temporarily) need to move on to the Price Cap. There are also a minority of homes who are immediately affected, eg, those on time-of-use tariffs. These include Octopus Agile & Tracker, which move half-hourly or daily with wholesale rates. These are sophisticated user tariffs, and if necessary people have the short term option to switch back to a Price Cap tariff (though do check for restrictions on how long before you can switch back). So while none of that is great, it isn't crisis point. - The end of May is likely crunch time: This is usually when the next Price Cap (July to Sept) is announced. It currently seems very likely it will rise, though just how much all depends on how long lived the current energy price spike is. Yet the key is whether wholesale rates have dropped back down or not by that point. If they have, while the Price Cap rise will annoy many, it won't be critical for most for two reasons i) The July to Sept Price Cap is usually the lowest use period. So, even if typical use rose £200/yr, in practice this'd just be, at a guess, an extra £30 to £40 paid over the period. If by then wholesale rates are down, a substantial cut would be expected for the next (Oct) Cap. ii) The rate new fixes are set at is based on wholesale rates, so if wholesale rates have dropped by then, the big push should be to get people off the Price Cap and onto fixes which could possibly look to be 20%+ cheaper, avoiding any price hike. That should then leave only those unwilling or unable to switch paying more - the latter is an issue the govt would need to concern itself with at that point. Yet if rates haven't dropped back down by May, and it looks like it'll stay high so the October Price Cap will rise too, and no cheap fixes are available, then things get into real problem territory. The government needs to be (and I suspect is starting to) planning now for that eventuality in case more hard-core intervention is needed. Martin PS I said I'd be off socials for the weekend, as normal, but thought this was worth coming back on for. I'm now resuming my weekend break from socials.

As we enter another fantastic year, the team at Hendersons Carpets & Flooring wants to say a huge thank you to all our customers and friends. Whether we helped you transform a single room or your entire home this year, it has been a privilege to be part of your renovation journey

Every August, we get the same feel-good TV shots of beaming teenagers waving their A-level results, teachers clapping, proud parents filling their phones with happy memories that are instantly posted on Facebook.   In the UK, plumbers, electricians, carpenters and heating engineers don’t get the same respect as graduates in suits — but in Germany, vocational training and university are equal. Apprenticeships don’t saddle you with £50,000 debt. You get paid while you learn, gain skills employers need, and walk into a career with earning potential from day one. Degrees and AI don’t fix boilers. If we keep ignoring apprenticeships, the UK will have plenty of degrees… and no one to fix the pipes.

𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 - A Layered Learning CPD Package for staff work in/alongside education in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales Find out more & book on: educators-barnardos.org.uk/training-and-c… #edutwitter #educators #CPD #mentalhealth

If facts hurt your feelings, you need new feelings, not new facts.

Boycott Afghanistan.

During the apartheid regime in South Africa the world responded to human rights abuses with sanctions and a sports boycott. Today, the world is silent over Afghanistan. The Afghan men’s coach, Jonathan Trott (born in South Africa but played cricket for England), was recently asked which was the best team in the Asia Cup. He proudly patted the badge on his shirt – Afghanistan. Pride in representing a country that has inflicted the most extreme human rights abuses on its female citizens is not the win @Trotty might think it is. The England men’s cricket team is drawn to play Afghanistan on 26th February 2025 in the ICC Champions Trophy. Women’s Rights Network calls for England to forfeit the match. In fact, we call on our politicians and sports governing bodies to go further. We call for: · @Keir_Starmer to order a boycott of all Afghanistan fixtures in any sport. · The @ECB_cricket to forfeit all matches against the Afghanistan men’s cricket team in any tournament. · Players and coaches to examine their consciences – the women in your families are free to dress how they please, be educated, take jobs, travel, have bank accounts, speak and sing. How can you in all conscience play a country that denies women their basic human rights? Pride in the team shirt includes pride in your country’s record on standing up for human rights and against dictators who bask in the kudos of sporting success. What is happening to the women of Afghanistan is appalling. Any sportsman of conscience should do what is right: Boycott Afghanistan.

#gavinandstacey finale did not disappoint #imnotcryingyourecrying ☺️ Merry Christmas all 🎄

@HendersonFloors Best wishes to all of our customers, colleagues and suppliers for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We'll be back on Monday 6th January 🎄🍾

As bigger Euro games approach, there is an increased risk of domestic abuse. Enjoy the Euros but be safe. #Euros2024 #EndAbuseTogether ALT TEXT: Euros video poster with seven people talking/signing to the camera.

A 🧵 on unintended consequences of mental health interventions, and why some school and workplace schemes may be contributing to the problem they were designed to solve. 1/10

@Urmi77096890 UK only 🇬🇧

@Alice_Saltburn Is it worldwide?

🐝 It’s giveaways time! To be in with a chance to win our original logo large tote bag, made from 100%cotton, please: * like this post and repost on your feed * visit our website here: aliceandedward.co.uk 🐝

You tote-ally need one of our 100% organic cotton tote bags to take out with you on a sunny spring day 🐝🙂☀️ see the full range here… alice-and-edward.teemill.com/collection/acc…

Our Head of Adoption & Fostering, Brenda Farrell, was on BBC Breakfast today - talking all things fostering. She urged anyone thinking about it: "Go to the Barnardo's website, pick up the phone, find out if it's the right time for you." Find out more at barnardos.org.uk/foster

More than half of 14-17 year-olds in the UK think they will be worse off than their parents when they grow up. Life can be hard for children and young people growing up today. Sometimes, they can feel like they don’t belong. We know they do. Learn more: bit.ly/436TRaA

@OGATrust @NorthernEdTrust an opportunity for your young people to have their voices heard and influence NHS services 😁

Looking forward to welcoming customers old and new in 2024 for all of your flooring needs @HendersonFloors

The PATHS programme for schools is designed to facilitate the development of self-control, emotional awareness and interpersonal problem solving skills, learn more here: pathseducation.co.uk

The Council is teaming up with Thrive at Five, who will create a programme to support the best start in life for children, helping them reach a good level of development by the end of their first year of primary school. (1/2)