OT: Inflation? What inflation?

Aug 13, 2025 Last reply: 11 months ago 19 Replies

Just got my buildings and contents quote today and it has doubled! To be fair we were on a three year deal that kept the same premium for three years but it still means it has doubled over three years ago so on average over 16% per year. That is on top of food bills rising above inflation, energy bills exceeding inflation and 10% council tax increase. I expect Yorkshire Water to hit us with an above inflation bill next month.



This makes a complete nonsense of the stated rate of inflation currently about 3.5%. Who does this apply to because my personal inflation rate is well in double figures? Pension increases have come nowhere near covering all these rises we have experienced but at least we can cover the differences it just means less spare cash available. How do people on fixed incomes cope and those lower down the earnings scale whose personal inflation rates must be horrendous?



Finally just to rub salt into the wounds on top of the above inflation car insurance hike earlier this year my car tax has had a £425 surcharge added all because the list price crept above £40,000. The year before the same make, model and trim level was £195 per annum. The surcharge is the same if the list price is 1p over the threshold or thousands so who does the tax hit the hardest? Yet again another threshold not increasing with inflation.



Rant over, just had to get that off my t*ts!



Richard



Surely the applicable list price was the one that applied when your car was first sold? John

I had that on my car and plenty of people on here called me all sorts of names for having a car that cost over £40k new and paying so much for VED.

That's just the way the market works these days. Insurance renewals have nothing to do with inflation. Either call the company and ask for the quote to be reconsidered as you are thinking of leaving, or get onto a price comparison site and see what you can get as a new customer. Or both. You shouldn't have to pay anywhere your renewal price.

Tax on my 15 year old Fiesta is £20!

Let us pray it passes the MOT shortly. (long prior motorway trip planned:-)>

I was aware of the surcharge, but my point is first of all is that despite car prices increasing with inflation the threshold for paying the surcharge has not and more and more cars even quite modest ones are going to fall foul of the tax. It particularly it is going to affect those of us driving hybrid or EVs which are generally dearer than their equivalent ICE vehicles which does not seem to square with the current car tax based on how much they pollute. My other point is the unfair application of the surcharge which unlike VAT which is progressively higher the more expensive the purchase, this tax is applied whether you paid £40,001 or £50,000.

I had it on my current car until a couple of years ago, I don't like it, but suspect I'll have it again when I change car, but will buy a couple of years old model so some other has paid the first expensive year or two ...

Amen to that point.

A nonogenarian friend was quoted £1100+ for this year's renewal. I found a policy at about £510 for him on a comparison website.

And on my 11-12 year old *diesel* Citroen.

Cars are much better, and longer-lasting, than they used to be.

Just received a Thames Water (boo, hiss, boo) bill. Up 42%

Our Thames Water bill has always been issued in March for the start of their year in April.

Be glad you don’t live in the Severn Trent area…

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“The complex accounting trick started in March 2017 when a shell company, with no money or assets, called Severn Trent Trimpley was set up as part of the group.

Another Severn Trent company called Severn Trent Draycote - which owns the water company - agreed to buy Trimpley for £2.

Trimpley then issued additional shares and Draycote bought them for a staggering £3bn.

No money actually changed hands, however, as Draycote paid Trimpley with a £3bn loan note - effectively an IOU. But, on paper, Trimpley immediately appeared to be worth £3bn because it had the IOU.

Severn Trent Water then acquired 49% of Trimpley - and that investment was valued in the water company's accounts at £1.47bn. A hugely valuable asset appears to have been created for Severn Trent Water out of thin air.”

On 13/08/2025 22:49, JNugent wrote: >> Tax on my 15 year old Fiesta is £20!

And I've got to pay £20 this month for the first time for my electric Nissan Leaf.

At least it's better than the horror stories I'm hearing about the tax on other cars of various make and price.

...wombat turds are cuboid.

My 22-year-old diesel Citroen is costing me £415 this year (C5 estate)

High emissions compared to more modern product?

Not tht I agree with charging differential rates of Road Tax in the first place.

My 2000 registered sports car is £360 per year. That comes out about 13p per mile for the little distance I drive it :(

Andy

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