Families struggle to pay energy bills in Humber
FAMILIES are struggling to pay their energy bills as fuel costs continue to rise.
Electricity and gas prices have been creeping up nationally, with average household energy bills rising from £522 in 2004 to £1,352 today – an increase of £830, or 159 per cent.
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Electricity and gas prices have been rising.
All of the big six energy companies have introduced price increases in the past four months – and almost nine out of 10 households (87 per cent) say they will be rationing their energy use this winter.
In the Yorkshire and Humber region there are 578,118 households considered fuel poor, according to research by National Energy Action – a rise of 133,936 from 2009.
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Sandy Andrews, from Brigg, said she helps save energy by wearing a jumper and by putting her gas central heating on at a low temperature for longer periods.
She also welcomes initiatives aimed at helping others.
She said: “I support people who wish to upgrade their heating systems and insulation and any cash they are given towards this is wonderful – a good idea indeed.”
One scheme which is helping householders in North Lincolnshire drive down their energy bills is a project that supports the installation of renewable heating systems.
A total of £273,850 has been allocated from the Government’s Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) Communities Scheme, after Leeds-based CIC Community Energy Solutions in partnership with North Lincolnshire Council, and three other
councils, applied for funds.
In northern Lincolnshire, around 28 homes will receive a share of £103,550, which has been specifically allocated to the householders involved.
Liz Webster, housing standards manager at the council, said: “This will offer great opportunities not just for the householders included in the project but for the wider community as a whole.”
The RHPP Communities Scheme, funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), is designed to support domestic renewable heat installations in privately-owned homes, particularly those with a middle to low income that are not connected to the mains gas network.
The households will now each receive up to 40 per cent off the cost of buying and installing a heat pump, biomass boiler or a solar thermal hot water system, which offer long-term reductions in fuel bills and carbon emissions.
Lee Cattermole, Programme Director for CES, said: “Installations are expected to begin very soon.”
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by TheWrangler
Monday, March 04 2013, 9:00AM
“Malcom-Ex, not sure if that is said with a straight face or not, but this is the first time I have reviewed my slightly trolling post and am most shocked to see a huge reversal on the votes???
I you think I have done it, I promise you no I did not - I rarely even single vote as the votes on here are pointless!
And to DerAngriff - the linked study Ref 1 states "Households Below Average Income" not median, but Average, hence the reason for me quoting it .....as a direct quote!”
by Malcolm_Ex
Friday, March 01 2013, 9:20PM
“nice work on the ratings wrangler”
by DerAngriff
Friday, March 01 2013, 3:47PM
“It's not the 'average salary', it's the median salary, which I'm sure theWrangler knows is completely different. 3.5 million live below that figure, but 1.5 million are classed as being in abject poverty, which, again, is different from simply earning less than the mid point salary.”
by Big-Hat-Harry
Friday, March 01 2013, 3:32PM
“Given the very small number of people who are earning these fantastic sums it is unlikely that the skew is likely to be that significant. And even allowing for this factor it does still show that there is a massive amount of relative poverty in the UK.”
by TheWrangler
Friday, March 01 2013, 3:28PM
“....and with footballers and bankers earning in excess of 100k/week, is it any wonder the average is skewed!”
by TheWrangler
Friday, March 01 2013, 3:25PM
“Harry, that definition of poverty for 3.6 million is:
"Households Below Average Income" Ref 1 on the page linked
Well, that's how an average works!
You cannot have a society where everyone earns average income, so inevitably some people will earn less and some people earn more - I dispute that earning less than the average income means you are in poverty!
What rubbish!”
by Big-Hat-Harry
Friday, March 01 2013, 11:11AM
“DerAngriff, you are wrong about it being one million children living in poverty, it is far worse than that, according to Child Poverty Action Group it is 3.6 million. http://tinyurl.com/cz3k7ms The Joseph Rowntree foundation claims "In 2010/11, 2.3 million children were living in poverty in the UK." http://tinyurl.com/l75uoz
There seems to be a confusion in these comments between relative and absolute poverty. Absolute poverty in the UK is not as big an issue as in many countries, but relative poverty is no less an issue for that. I have seen absolute poverty in Africa, it is, without a doubt, not nice. I have seen relative poverty in the UK, it is no better. Some of the posters here really need to move out of their comfy lifestyle and look at what is happening in the UK.”
by DerAngriff
Friday, March 01 2013, 10:49AM
“Sorry Wrangler, what massively stereotypical and unintelligent response that was. You make yourself look like foolish.
If you want to question the figures then contact Save the Children or Action for Children. Perhaps you could share your research with them, and you can tell them that their definition of poverty is incorrect too?”
by TheWrangler
Friday, March 01 2013, 9:57AM
“DerAngriff please show me where you get this figure of 1,000,000 in the UK going without food?
That is Bull! Simple as that!
And of the kids who do go without food, perhaps their parent(s) should go without fags, white lighting and sky TV and Staffies!”
by DerAngriff
Friday, March 01 2013, 9:08AM
“Wrangler,
You can't compare Indian slums to the UK. In the UK we don't allow people to live in squalid conditions. We have drainage and a legal obligation to provide welfare to the less fortunate. That doesn't stop a million or so children going without food or care. Again, there is a difference between poverty and destitution.
Lenny Henry doesn't need to go to India, there is more than enough wealth there to go around, it's just that greed and lack of social conscience is rife there.
The fact is that children born into poverty (yes, poverty) in the UK remain trapped. They have access to the worst schools, a poorer standard of parenting, more likely to be a victim of crime, turn to crime, more likely to suffer from ill health and have a much lower chance of 'success' than those born into more affluent environments. You can see that for yourself in the estates of Grimsby.
It's easy to say that poverty doesn't exist in this country when you are sat in your nice house in a village, with good schools for the kids, tucking into your fresh food before going for a few drinks after golf on Saturday, but unfortunately it does. Ask Unicef.”