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Fuel Poverty
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Story
So, this I think is interesting.
It's not simply a case of giving people some money, which oddly, seems to be the simple mans solution, "they're poor? Give them some money" but once they've spent it, they'll be just as poor as before, perhaps more so, because they'll owe you the money, and the interest.
Anyway, perhaps insulation grants, installation of more efficient heating systems, etc etc as a solution instead?
So, this I think is interesting.
It's not simply a case of giving people some money, which oddly, seems to be the simple mans solution, "they're poor? Give them some money" but once they've spent it, they'll be just as poor as before, perhaps more so, because they'll owe you the money, and the interest.
Anyway, perhaps insulation grants, installation of more efficient heating systems, etc etc as a solution instead?
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And of course there is the £200 winter fuel payment to all those over 60 isnt it?
More than anything it is an issue of actually getting the old people to come forward and ask for assisstance rather than it not being there.
All while energy companies of course continue to cream nice and fat profits.
Something is very rotten.
Although the real problem is with the energy companies: British Gas makes squillions of pounds in profit every year, but feels the need to raise prices by 10000000% to "cover the rising cost of fuel". Same with npower and the rest.
It's not just old people either. When I was a student I had to choose between food or warmth on more than one occasion, and I nearly had to have a pre-payment meter installed.
The poor get poorer because pre-payment meters charge far far more per unit than conventional billing does. The energy companies make a huge profit out of the poor who can't afford to use conventional billing because of bad debt histories, and the CEOs responsible for that practise should be executed for it.
Although not to forget this...
As has been said there is help and assistance available, it's getting people to ask for help - as that article shows the consequences of not for some are very sad.
Should they just give the power away to poor people, going round and tucking old people into bed at night?
And they certainly shouldn't be exploiting the weakest people in society.
I'd agree that certain things shouldnt be given to the private sector, but in some cases they do definately do a better job.
Still two million people freezing to death.
Essential services like warmth and water should not be run for profit.
Yes, I fully agree it is a bit of a simplistic viewpoint, and "competition" has managed to eradicate much of the corruption endemic in the old national industries, but there is something grossly unethical about rich CEOs pocketing millions of pounds a year because they are determined to squeeze a tidy profit out of thsoe who are freezing to death.
The extra charges levied on pre-payment meters is nothing short of a national disgrace. But as wel all know, CEOs don't have much shame when there's some pips to be squeezed.
In addition, some old people actually don't have a bank account. People who pay by Direct Debit have a sweeter deal than those who don't. So the vulnerable get screwed again.
And yes, those who genuinely can't afford to pay should get free energy. I thought it'd be the least a so-called compassionate and caring (and more to the point, very wealthy) society could do for the more vulnerable amongst us.
Come come, lets not exagerate here, there are not two million freezing to death, there are two million at possible risk, thats very different.
I'd agree that its unfair and unreasonable to charge more per unit to someone using a meter, but that is a regulatory issue rather than a reason for it to be nationalised.
And of course we are all assuming that the government would run it better, arent you consistantly saying the government is useless?
Just because something is run not-for-profit doesn't mean that it has to be a nationalised industry. Especially as nationalised indutsries are rarely run not-for-profit.