Why pay high standing charges?

I BELIEVE that a standing charge is to cover the cost of infrastructure for energy companies. Why is this not taken from normal profits? The charge should be the same for every consumer who has a meter. Yet if I pay by direct debit I am charged 27p a day, while if I pay monthly it’s 30p a day (surely this is covered by the increase in the KWh rate?). Also, why does the standing charge rise with the price cap? It’s daylight robbery. Can Ofgem explain why it sanctioned it?

PHILLIPE LYS, fareham, Hants.

MY HUSBAND and I were moved to Shell Energy after our provider went into administration. Besides a large increase in monthly payments, the standing charges come to an annual cost of £276.74 (£177.39 for electricity and £99.35 for gas, both including VAT). What does the standing charge cover? We read the meters monthly ourselves and input the readings online. If we stop paying by direct debit, the charge rises by up to £48 a year per fuel. It is outrageous!

ELAINE INGRAM, Sheffield.

IF THE standing charge was abolished or standardised, people could directly compare gas and electricity prices. Energy firms don’t want us to be able to do this.

d. SCARBOROUGH, Bexleyheath, Kent.

I CAN see why the shortage of Russian gas means the kWh charge for electricity and gas has increased (by 44 per cent in my case), but why has the standing charge (to cover delivery and maintenance) risen by 71 per cent? I’m not holding my breath for any response from the energy companies on this.

GEOFF RECORD, Wincanton, Somerset.

WHY are utility companies allowed to charge us for gas or electricity if we don’t use any, through the standing charge? Everyone is going to be cutting back, sitting in the cold, eating cold meals, going without a shower and simply not daring to switch anything on, yet still we will pay.

PAT RAWNSLEY, Sutton-in-ashfield, Notts.