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MSE News: Elderly energy bills 'doubled since 2005'
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Former_MSE_Helen
Posts: 2,382 Forumite
in Energy
"The average annual spend on energy bills for over-65s soared to £1,355.90 last year compared to £668.98 in 2005..."
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Comments
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Is this rise not the same for everybody else?
Also what about taking into account the winter fuel allowance which started in 2008 - that can be up to £400
So in reality the increase is about £300Year 2019 (1,700/£17000mortgage repayment)Overall mortgage (71,400/165568) (44
.1%) (42/100) payments made. Total paid 2019 year £1,700
Total paid 2017 year £15,300Total paid 2018 year £13,6000 -
runninglea wrote: »
Also what about taking into account the winter fuel allowance which started in 2008 - that can be up to £400
Where do you get that figure from?
I thought the maximum was £200 (down from £250). Where a married couple both aged over 60 are concerned that becomes 2x£100 paid individually.0 -
Yeah, I agree with the above comment that the rises have been the same for everyone. And surely to say older people are disproportionately affected is a bit of a circular argument: if energy costs are proportionately higher, it's because other costs are proportionately lower (e.g. no mortgage left to pay).
The other thing that strikes me as odd is:
"Ros Altmann, director-general of Saga, says its research found 29% of older people are raiding their savings every month to make ends meet."
Only 29%? Isn't the point of saving all your working life to use the money to get by when you're a pensioner? What's going on here?
Is it that many pensioners don't have savings to raid, or that many are saving each month to give to their children as house deposits?0 -
The whole concept of saving enough to last the rest of your life is on shaky grounds. Mostly because you have no idea how long you will live.
If we insist on living till the bitter end, then we need to create a self-sustaining eco-system using capable retired people as a resource. I propose the Church of England open retirement communities using surplus priests as wardens, running them as non-profit organisations. To prevent fraudulent priest taking advantage, they should be branded on their foreheads and cast out into the streets.
Old people who sign on will have to donate some property and sign over their annuities and state pensions. They will also be expected to work for the communities: admin, driving, electrical work, plumbing etc. according to their abilities. Gardening and growing food would be an obvious form of contribution.
There is no reason why younger people cannot be hired to help out with the more physical stuff. Pre-retirement people can do some volunteer work, in exchange for some credit towards their retirement.
Arrangement can be made for semi-independent living, with staff going out on home visits, for a fee. This can provide work for 50+ people who have problems finding work in the conventional work place. We will need inspectors who check on the quality of home visits.
Lots of old people means lots of work.0 -
I think the reason pensioners' energy costs are generally higher is because these costs often represent a higher proportion of their total income, which is usually much lower than somebody who is working. Added to this of course is the fact that many pensioners live in uneconomic homes and need their heating on all day, as opposed to those who go out to work.
All generalisations of course, and there are wealthy pensioners, and working people who live on far less than some pensioners - but it makes a headline!0 -
I would have thought that soaring energy (and food) bills was applicable and of concern to people of all ages.
Unfortunately when you are old you are however quite possibly going to be home more than younger people and will thus be affected greatly.
It is surely unacceptable for people to be forced between food & heat and action ought be taken to stem the rises before they become totally unaffordable. Given that successive Governments have been quite happy to steal the homes of the elderly from under them in order to pay for their care when becoming frail however I wont hold my breath on that.
They must wonder what on earth they paid their taxes and bothered saving for all those years!
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