They’ve been talking about it for weeks now. Every time they do, I’m almost sick. But talking about it is still different from it actually happening. Well, not any more. This is the day. The energy price cap rise is here, and it doesn’t bear thinking about. Why? Because there is simply no way I can even begin to think about how I could pay it. It’s a non-starter. So what do people like me do? Answers on a postcard please to Liz at Ain’t-Got-A-Bleeding-Clue Lane, SW England.
In October last year, my bill went up to about £1,200 a year. As a single mum of two youngsters, getting no help from their dads, working part-time because of my disabilities, it was unaffordable. That’s when I decided I’d better get an energy meter, and pay upfront. I’ve still got a bill of £495 from my pre-meter days. I haven’t paid it yet, and I’m scared that’s going to come back on me in winter when I have to put the heating back on. You know what’s most disgusting? People like me who pay on meters are charged at a higher rate. I heard on the radio that I’ll be looking at £600 for January alone because I can’t spread out the payments through the year.
In April, that £1,200 rose by a horrific 54%. Meanwhile, my universal credit rose by 3.1%. Today the bill has risen by 80% to £3,549 for the typical household. It’s like living in the Weimar republic. Next thing we know people will be pushing wheelbarrows full of tenners to the energy providers to pay the bills.
But not me, or people like me. Because however hard we try, we’ll never be able to pay these obscene amounts. Apparently there’s worse to come. The regulator OfBollocks, or whatever it’s called, instead of reducing the cap has decided to update the cap every three months rather than every six months because the prices are rocketing. Unbelievable. Hardly surprising that people think OfBollocks is in the pay of the energy giants. Next January, it’s estimated that it will rise by another 31%, or £4,650 a year, for typical households. I can’t begin to get my head around these figures. It’s another financial planet.
I’ve got an energy meter and I’m living on the edge of my nerves. And this is making it so much worse. I can barely sleep most nights anyway, and that £495 bill is looming large. If they want to be funny with me they can claim that because the kids are over the age of 10 and they’re not “vulnerable” they can cut us off.
I never thought I’d say this, but thankfully I have an auto-immune illness. That puts me into the vulnerable category. I need to get a letter from my doctor so they don’t switch me off. That’s the backup plan if my provider decides to play silly buggers with us.
As told to Simon Hattenstone. Liz is in her 40s and lives in the south-west of England. Her name has been changed
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