16 November 2023 , 21:59
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Last winter more than 4,000 people died because of the cold and millions more struggled to pay for their heating.
This year could be even worse. Experts warn the average monthly household energy bill could rise to £220 if Ofgem raises the price cap. Unlike last year there will be no additional support from the Government. This will mean more people having to choose between heating and eating and more elderly people at risk of fatal hypothermia.
At present, one in four UK households cannot afford to heat their homes. Many, still paying off debts they ran up last winter, now face going further into arrears. If the Government had implemented a proper windfall tax on the oil and gas giants, it could have funded the support people so clearly require. And it is not too late to act. The Chancellor has a choice in next week’s Autumn Statement: He can cut taxes for the richest or stand by those in genuine need.
Same old trick
The Tories never change. Whenever they are in trouble they try to distract attention by demonising people on benefits. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is now following this well-trodden and cynical path by threatening even tougher sanctions on welfare claimants who fail to find work.
Some of the most vulnerable people in society could lose money, access to free prescriptions and legal aid under the plans. Nobody should be allowed to exploit the system but this latest crackdown flies in the face of the Government’s own research that found benefit sanctions lead claimants to find work less quickly and earn less when they do. The Tories refused to act against cronies making a fortune from dubious PPE contracts but they penalise the poorest and the disabled.
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Wanderful Sue
Sue Rogers’ tour of all the world’s 196 countries is a fantastic achievement. She’s right that memories matter more than wealth, and we hope Sue treasures hers.