Imperial Party forum

thomas davison

UK

TIPPING POINT FOR ONE IN THREE TOO POOR TO BUY HEAT

Heating costs could result in householders having to switch off heating altogether
Sunday December 9,2012
By Tracey Boles MORE than one third of householders will switch off the heating altogether if, as expected, energy bills hit �1,500 a year.

Ann Robinson, consumer champion at price comparison site uSwitch, calls the figure the �tipping point� � and it could take a heavy toll on the nation�s health.

She said: �Our research shows that 36 per cent of people would do without heating altogether if bills reach �1,500.

�Energy is just as important as food and a roof over the head to health and well-being.�

Severe winters already cause 30,000 excess deaths as cold homes cause an increase in strokes, heart attacks and pneumonia.

According to Age UK, more than a third of people over 60 will spend winter in just one room to save money on heating bills.

A spokesman said: �The fluctuations in excess winter deaths in recent years, mainly due to temperature changes, highlight how, in 21st century Britain, older people�s lives are still at the mercy of the weather.

Our research shows that 36 per cent of people would do without heating altogether if bills reach �1,500
Ann Robinson of uSwitch

�Even in relatively mild winters, there are around 8,000 extra deaths for every one degree drop in average temperature.�

Age UK is calling on the Government to make these winter deaths a national health priority to drive funding into preventative services, and to tackle the problem of cold homes with a programme of home energy efficiency improvements.

Energy rationing is already commonplace among all ages with uSwitch finding that almost 87 per cent of households are expecting to restrict their energy use this winter to save on costs.

It also found that 15 per cent were worried that they were putting their health at risk by reducing their heating.

Energy bills currently stand at an average of �1,334 a year and would climb by an estimated �7 a week in a cold snap.

They are expected to reach the critical �1,500 point Ms Robinson describes within two years if a flagship Government initiative to improve the energy efficiency of more houses fails.

Called the Green Deal and launching in January, it is designed to boost energy efficiency, thereby reducing consumption and helping to save money.

Thanks to the wretched Libdems, the less well off in our society cannot afford to heat their homes.

They are relentlessly banging on about the other peoples overseas that should be helped but they totally ignore their own electorate.

What about the thousands of elderly folk that will die this winter? And all because they can no longer pay their heating bill because it has been hiked up in the name of "protecting the planet". No other country is doing what we are doing and for good reason. They cannot afford to be generous. Neither can we but that matters not to these clowns.
Why are we giving away more than the likes of Germany, USA, China, Russia and Japan? When are the people of this country going to rise up in anger and take to the Streets as they do in Athens and Madrid?
Only then will this arrogant and ignorant Coalition realise what damage they have caused. .

what really gets my goat is the fact that the government are increasing the tax on energy so they can pay for power stations and more stupid windmills.
WHY, these energy companies have share holders it is THEY who should give the money to build more power stations not the bill payers.
This is one of the biggest cons in the world, start and energy company and get the customers to pay for everything without putting any money in yourself, its the same as the banks using your money to gamble on the stock market.
WE ARE THE STUPIDIST NATION IN THE WORLD, IF WE HAD WEAPONS NONE OF THESE SCROUNGERS WOULD BE HERE TO DO IT.