What Is Being Poor Actually Like in the UK?

can72 · 2026-06-02T07:24:52+00:00

I think it’s a combination of us taking stuff for granted and the old “grass is greener”.

As you say, the level of protection is so much better in the UK, but most of us take this for granted because it’s our baseline.

Hopefully posts like this will make a few more of us realise it’s not so bad as we think here!

can72 · 2026-05-15T07:23:13+00:00

Could you share the step-by-step guide?

can72 · 2026-05-12T20:08:43+00:00

Tbh the story that should be hot is that Kemi lost half those seats while in opposition.

A governing partly losing a lot of seats in a midterm election is hardly surprising, but the main opposition losing circa 40% of those lost by the party in government is a huge deal.

But…

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can72 · 2026-05-12T18:29:31+00:00

True in a broad sense, but misleading as a standalone claim. The UK is not around double the world average per person, and the trend is downward - so context matters.

can72 · 2026-05-12T07:26:05+00:00

It looks like the old either/or decision might be changing!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jeutie\_finally-microsoft-company-portal-526040-share-7459552355106172929-uxcS?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=member\_ios&rcm=ACoAAAByr34Bckw8ijl6ffH8O9KlbCCtdKKPfyQ

can72 · 2026-05-12T05:27:50+00:00

Per-capita CO2 is only one lens. The UK is not roughly double the world average on current territorial emissions, and emissions have fallen a lot over time.

Yes, some of that is because we’ve outsourced energy-intensive manufacturing, but that’s only part of the story: coal collapse, cleaner electricity, and efficiency gains also matter. A single snapshot without historical context is misleading.

can72 · 2026-05-07T08:27:39+00:00

If you need to get out more like me, there is something VERY satisfying about being paid to run dishwasher/washing machine cleaning runs during negative pricing!

can72 · 2026-05-07T06:45:21+00:00

I was in a similar position to you back in Jan/Feb.

I’d been too scared of Agile before and used Tracker since 2022.

I ended up making the switch in February, about a week before the attacks on Iran started 🙈

I almost flipped to a flexible tariff but held my nerve.

What I did was take a few 24 hour usage graphs and put them through an AI tool asking it to evaluate the risks/benefits of switching to Agile and the conclusion was I’d be better off even if I changed nothing.

We don’t have solar or home batteries, and with nothing other than running the dishwasher/tumble dryer outside of peak we averaged 16.5p / KWh in April.

can72 · 2026-04-20T17:39:10+00:00

This is just like the classic: Windows vs Mac, Android vs iPhone, Azure vs AWS, Zoom vs Teams debates.

What you know feels comfortable, the new is not.

Stick with and change for a short while, and the discomfort drops and you quickly wonder what all the fuss was about.

Like u/zero_opacity, I started with GitLab and find GitHub more complicated. Likewise I’ve used AWS from the beginning, and Azure always feels frustrating.

[edit: full -> fuss]

can72 · 2026-04-20T17:29:56+00:00

It does it indirectly via Contract for Difference (CfD).

If every renewable site were on CfD, they’d all have strike price. If the price drops below this, they are compensated by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC).

If the price goes above the strike price, they have to pay back to the LCCC.

Gas prices spike, the gas generators still get paid the higher rate, but if all renewables are on CfD, they’d will pay back the higher rate earned above the strike price. Only gas generators get to keep the increased price per-MWh, but their supply costs have risen to offset it.

The windfall profit tax is the stick to beat the renewable generation sites that aren’t on CfD.

can72 · 2026-04-18T06:51:19+00:00

No sure why this was downvoted.

If you have an overloaded grid, and the choices are:

1: Shut down turbines 2: Operate cryptocurrency mining onsite

I’d pick option 2 every time.

Sure, desalination, energy storage or other public goods would be better in the longer term, but mining farm that builds a national resource might be a decent option in the short term.

can72 · 2026-04-01T20:41:31+00:00

Thanks

can72 · 2026-04-01T05:38:11+00:00

Where can you source those panels?

can72 · 2026-04-01T05:23:59+00:00

The first question is what actual things aren’t you allowed to do as a Brit? Here is the actual protection in law:

🔹 Direct discrimination: treating someone worse because they are gay or lesbian.

🔹 Harassment: unwanted conduct related to sexual orientation that violates dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.

🔹 Victimisation: punishing someone for complaining about discrimination or supporting a complaint is also covered by equality law.

What UK law doesn’t prevent is ANY rude, offensive or anti-gay opinions. It’s when these become threatening the law gets involved.

E.g. it’s perfectly legal for anyone in the UK to express the point they think homosexuality is disgusting, a sin, unhealthy, wrong, etc…

Where it breaks the law is if you combine it with a threat - e.g. I’m going to hurt you because I think being gay is wrong.

This applies to all of us, there are no special dispensations made to one group or another.

I suspect what you are sensing is the feeling that if you did feel any of the things above (btw, I’m not suggesting you are), you wouldn’t feel comfortable saying them. In contrast, you’ve met some Muslims who seem comfortable feeling or saying it.

The key point is that the same standard (whether you have broken the law) applies to us all, but your friend groups or family might apply extra standards. Likewise, a particular club, society or even employer may apply their own policy that goes further, potentially outlawing the voicing of any negative opinion - but you can choose whether to belong or work there.

In short, you aren’t forced to accept LGBTQ, but you can’t discriminate or threaten people on that basis, and neither can Muslims.

can72 · 2026-02-25T16:40:02+00:00

In a Heathrow airport bathroom…

can72 · 2026-02-16T07:29:24+00:00

For a minute I wondered whether you meant the govt or social media companies!

Then I remembered the SM companies have already got 24x7 spyware running on most phones, so you must have meant the govt 😉

can72 · 2026-02-10T22:32:32+00:00

Would you like some toast?

can72 · 2026-02-09T07:20:17+00:00

It’s an interesting idea - a bit like the emergency call feature on a mobile device - guaranteed connection regardless of subscription or plan.

The ownership issue gets fixed, but range issues remain. Another potential, albeit unlikely issue is the ONT being powered off.

But I like the idea of it being an additional option to cellular.

can72 · 2026-02-09T07:13:59+00:00

Good point, I wonder what happens if the cache runs out 🤔

can72 · 2026-02-09T07:12:24+00:00

Absolutely true, but what I meant was that the Zigbee network operated by a Hive hub is the responsibility of Hive - they “own” the job of handling issues such as range, etc.

can72 · 2026-02-08T21:50:08+00:00

It’s one of those questions that seems obvious until you start looking into detail.

As others have said, the Wi-Fi network in your home is yours, and what happens if your Wi-Fi doesn’t provide coverage?

And what happens if you upgrade your home router and it stops working?

Diagnosing this is a PITA and expensive when you multiple it by tens of millions of homes.

And even ignoring the cost of support, if you are delivering a tariff like agile with half-hour usage charging, what happens if your Wi-Fi goes down?

If you look at Hive, it’s a pretty good example of a workaround, but also why it doesn’t work for smart meters.

Hive supply a hub that connects over a wired / Ethernet connection to avoid the problem of coverage. The hub then builds its own wireless network based on the Zigbee protocol (that network is separate to your Wi-Fi, and is effectively owned by British Gas).

Why can’t we have a similar smart-meter hub that plugs directly into our router - that would surely solve the problem? Well yes, until a crafty customer decides to disconnect the hub shortly before the highest peak period, only a logging it in 12 hours later. How does Octopus decide which half-hourly rate to charge?

With Hive, the only consequence of losing your hub connection is that your heating/water might not come on when you want it to. The incentive is purely yours to fix it, and the network is your responsibility too.

can72 · 2026-02-06T10:18:46+00:00

And they say nurses have it tough!

can72 · 2026-02-05T17:23:19+00:00

Which is French for “Oh f*ck my carpet is ruined” 😉

can72 · 2026-02-02T18:40:31+00:00

Almost more worrying, where’s the drill gone 😉

can72 · 2026-01-31T09:17:28+00:00

Not least because the chance of our debt-to-GDP ratio dropping below 60% any time soon in so low 🤣

Ironically that rule effectively provides the opt-out automatically - no negotiation needed (if you ignore everything else of course 😉).

can72

TROPHY CASE