O/T:- Ofgem, not fit for purpose

[Med Pie]

The BBC headline reads

Plans for energy tariffs with no standing charges

Any idiot can guess how this would be achieved and it's confirmed within the article with contradicting lines reading

'Energy firms will be forced to offer customers tariffs with no standing charges, under a proposed shake-up of bills by regulator Ofgem'

Then.

'Ofgem is proposing suppliers offer one price-capped tariff that includes the standing charge, and another that loads these costs on energy usage charges instead.'

What is the point of Ofgem, this is an arrangement which makes it sound like they've achieved something for the consumer which they haven't, companies will take the standing charge one way or another. At least with the current arrangement, the standing charge is clear and obvious, the new arrangement will allow bills to be far more opaque.