StayWarm Special Briefing 2006/7 Discussion Area

KimYeovil

Ho, ho, very funny, Bernard. Martin Lewis championing a fairer deal for the poorest? He is dedicated to 'screwing' and breaking special offers and honest deals. That's as laughable as suggesting Tony Blair should become a peace envoy in the... oh, wait a minute. Never mind.

Cardew

BernardM wrote: »

WINTER FUEL
In light of recent increases in energy prices, the NPC has written to the Chancellor urging him to raise the winter fuel allowance in the forthcoming Budget. The allowance has been frozen since 2003, despite tens of thousands of winter deaths and rising bills. A doubling of the allowance would give confidence to older people that they could put the heating on without fear of the cost.

Wrong!

It has increased to £250 this year for an over 60 household and £400 for over 80's.

To quote the winter related death figures for the over 65's and then imply/attribute all those deaths to pensioners being unable to afford heating in houses is ludicrous! None of the links you give remotely suggest that is the case.

By all means fight a campaign for pensioners, but do some research first; and also plucking old reports off the internet ain't research.

BernardM

Fuel poverty costing Britain 20,000 lives a year, warns charity coalition
(Sunday 07 September 2008)
NEW Labour was condemned on Sunday for failing to do enough to help people struggling to pay their fuel bills.

A coalition of charities and consumer bodies will launch a fuel poverty charter on Monday calling on ministers to ramp up energy efficiency and renewable energy measures for homes, make the energy market fairer for consumers, reform the Fuel Poverty Strategy and take action to increase the incomes of those who can't afford to heat and power their homes.

The coalition of Age Concern, Association for Conservation of Energy, Barnado's, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Child Poverty Action Group, Disability Alliance, energywatch, Friends of the Earth, Help the Aged, National Energy Action, National Right To Fuel Campaign and WWF warned that fuel poverty has become a national disaster.

Over 20,000 deaths are recorded each year in England alone due to the cold and the rise in the number of fuel poor is likely to put more lives at risk this winter. Many families with young children are forced to choose between heating their homes and cooking a hot meal.

Friends of the Earth head of climate Ed Matthew, on behalf of the coalition, pointed out that the government's fuel poverty strategy is hopelessly off course and millions of households are suffering as a consequence in literally a life or death situation.

"We have set out exactly what needs to be done to sort out this national disaster," he warned.

So they are all wrong then. Thats exactly what they all seem to be saying.

BernardM

Nation's poor face looming energy crisis
(Sunday 07 September 2008)
by ADRIAN ROBERTS
CAMPAIGNERS warned new Labour that it needs to take "radical action" to protect the nation's energy customers on Sunday after a new report showed that almost a quarter of the population will be in fuel poverty by next year.

A report published by the National Housing Federation shows that, by the end of 2009, 5.7 million households will be spending at least 10 per cent of their annual income on energy bills, an increase of 100 per cent since 2005.

The research, entitled Energy Prices and Debt, written by IPA Energy and Water Economics, says that around 5.7 million people will be in fuel poverty by 2009, compared with around 3.8 million in 2007 and 2.4 million in 2005.

It says that annual electricity bills are expected to increase to over £500 each year and gas bills to around £900 by 2010.

The report also suggests that people from low income backgrounds will be the worst hit by the energy price increases due to prepayment schemes.

The five million people who pay for their energy through prepayment schemes incur higher tariffs and by 2010 will be paying £65 more than people billed quarterly, according to the report.

Energy privateers are also charging people on prepayments more than wealthier customers on internet tariffs, Energywatch found before its recent abolition.

Energywatch accused the privateers of "preying" on poor customers who could not move to cheaper tariffs because of debt problems.

Federation director of campaigns and neighbourhoods Ruth Davison called the findings part of a "full-scale national energy crisis."

"The government needs to grasp the nettle and take strong and radical action to protect the nation's energy customers.

"Britain is virtually unique in Europe in that our energy suppliers have been privatised and deregulated.

"Energy companies must be regulated so that they can no longer charge prepayment meter customers grotesquely high tariffs.

"They must be made to use their profits to pay for their social and energy efficiency responsibilities rather than piling these costs on the already crippled consumer."

KimYeovil

A coalition of charities and consumer bodies will launch a fuel poverty charter on Monday calling on ministers to ramp up energy efficiency and renewable energy measures for homes, make the energy market fairer for consumers, reform the Fuel Poverty Strategy and take action to increase the incomes of those who can't afford to heat and power their homes.

Uh, increasing the incomes is the very last thing listed! Energy efficiencies (reducing consumption) and make the market fairer (contrary to the principles of this site) are given precedence!

Over 20,000 deaths are recorded each year in England alone due to the cold

due to the cold weather, not necessarily cold homes. I'm not suggesting there's not a significant correlation, just that it isn't the very high one that many imagine.

Many families with young children are forced to choose between heating their homes and cooking a hot meal.

Uh, if you bother your behind to cook a hot meal there is one room in your home that is not cold. Whilst I have some sympathy with the elderly (but disagree with strategy to solve that problem) this complaint is utter bunkum.

KimYeovil

The report also suggests that people from low income backgrounds will be the worst hit by the energy price increases due to prepayment schemes.

The five million people who pay for their energy through prepayment schemes incur higher tariffs and by 2010 will be paying £65 more than people billed quarterly, according to the report.

Energy privateers are also charging people on prepayments more than wealthier customers on internet tariffs, Energywatch found before its recent abolition.

Yeah, Martin Lewis and money saving experts really hate having direct debit discounts. They are queuing up to join a tariff that will not charge prepayment customers more.

BernardM

But if they implemented what this coalition asks for and there is a massive reduction in deaths then it will be money well spent. If they do as they have done before, another year will go by and 20,000 more will die. These numbers are unique to Britain.

Cardew

BernardM

It is without dispute that the huge increases in energy prices will cause hardship and bring many more people - from all sections of society -into the classification of 'fuel poverty'.

Instead of posting quote after meaningless quote about child poverty groups, OAPs etc half a million dying because they can't heat their houses and other rubbish, why not put down some researched facts instead of emotive nonsense.

Frankly rambling, exagerated and inaccurate posts like yours damage the cause that you are trying to promote.

To start with, why not admit you are wrong about no increase in winter fuel allowance, and try to get some figures about how many OAP deaths are attributed to houses not heated sufficiently.

BernardM

The office for national statistics show the number of people dying during the winter months over and above those who die during the other times of the year. This is referred to as the excess winter death rate.
The inference then is that the cold contributing to their all their deaths.

BernardM

I have found this study Cardew, how exaggerated and inaccurate will you find this study I dont know.
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/housing/n11.asp

Why would you object to seeing pensioners being given much more income and benefits. We just dont look after pensioners like our European neighbours do.