UK GOVERNMENT MUST END FORCED INSTALLATION OF PRE PAYMENT METERS, ABOLISH HIGHER STANDARD CHARGES AND INTRODUCE A SOCIAL TARIFF
East Lothian MP and fair energy prices campaigner Kenny MacAskill has been granted an Urgent Question by the Speaker “to ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy if he will make a statement on the levels of self-disconnection from power sources and on Government support on energy sources.”
Parliamentary written answers received by Mr MacAskill have this week revealed that the number of households, with smart meters, disconnecting from their power supply has risen to record numbers of 66,000 in Scotland and 660,000 across the whole of Britain. However this is merely the tip of the iceberg as it excludes the hundreds of thousands of households in Scotland, and millions across the UK who are on legacy pre payment meters. A further answer from Mr MacAskill provided confirmation that “forcible installations of pre payment meters for the most vulnerable customers have been banned by Ofgem since 2017.” And yet the level of forced installations continues to rise while both the UK Government and Ofgem fail to act in addressing a clear breach of Ofgem rules.
Speaking in the House of Commons Mr MacAskill, the ALBA Depute Leader will state:
“Thank you Mr Speaker
“A parliamentary answer on Tuesday disclosed that around 66,000 households in Scotland and 660,000 across Britain had self-disconnected from smart meters in Quarter 3 of last year.
“Self-disconnection is that euphemism for being simply unable to afford to heat or power your home. It’s as pernicious as the phrase collateral damage is in war.
“Those afflicted by self-disconnection and all its misery are also civilians, but we are at peace not at war.
“These figures are for the quarter before prices rose and temperatures dropped.
“They also are only the tip of the iceberg as the numbers are far greater. As these figures do not cover those on legacy Pre-Payment Meters installed before the advent of Smart Meters and operated by coin, card or other means.
“They number just over 2 million in the UK and just under 300,000 in Scotland. What those figures will be, we can only guess at. But they will substantially increase the numbers so tragically afflicted.
“In an Energy Rich Country, Fuel Poverty is an Obscenity.
“Given this heartless cruelty in a cold winter, will the Minister now:
“Firstly, end forthwith the forced installation of Pre-payment Meters?
“Secondly, immediately abolish the perverse higher standing charges and tariffs for Pre-Payment Meters and finally, as a matter of urgency bring in a social tariff for the poorest and most vulnerable?
Due to various circumstances I haven’t used a unit of electricity in my own home since October 2021. I still have to leave in enough to cover the extortionate standing charge. I’ve asked about a total disconnect but, because i’m in social housing, can’t do that. Even a self disconnect – ie not putting any money in the meter, doesn’t stop an horrendous bill for standing charges being built up – over 50p per day. It’s outrageous and disgusting that this affects the poorest in society most.
We know who the real “most marginalised” people in society are.
The standing charge is just a racket.
The companies who sell you gas are not producers or shippers. They are traders who buy a homogenous product.
Think about a High Street pipe full of gas. Whose gas is in it. What bit of it your gas from your so called supplier, or more correctly your trader.
And the charge why is it fixed. Use no gas or little gas and it’s fifty pence. And still fifty pence for those burning huge amounts of gas.
Truth is its just a charging racket.
And here’s another. Ever heard of inclining block tarrifs. No well if you haven’t it incremental price banding depending on usage.
Think the concept of progressive taxation income tax rates. The more you earn the higher the bands.
Well first gas units absolutely critical. Next units important. Next units desirable. Or put another way, is it equitable that a cottar pays the same for a unit of gas or electricity to keep his few lights or modest heating going as does the millionaire mansion with swimming pool, jacuzzi and more rooms than you can shake a stick at. We’ll of course not.
And you know what inclining prices save energy, save the planet, and would cut down usage.
Or another analogy is motor vehicles. The bigger the vehicle the more the road tax. Inclining tarrifs.
But anyway who cares. Certainly not it seems Jock.
In fact, on average with Jock dying 2.5 years earlier than John Bull gets very substantially more pension. Indeed thinking of those extra years of pension shelled out to England ( 13.3 years to 10.8 years) shouldn’t Scots be getting a discount on contribution or an increase in pension.
Indeed with the recent discovery that this winter there has been a 30% increase in what is described as unexpected deaths, you do have to think as to how cold homes, through being cut off, or throttled back consumption is killing our old and compromised.
Ah, I digress. Jock knows the score. Takes it like a man, or is it more like a dog, as he turns up his heating and dances.
Nuff said!
Yes, indeed, and people being unable to afford to heat their homes or being cut off will mean that Scottish homes, hardly suitable anyway, most of them, for our weather, will become damper and colder, destroying the fabric of the buildings, and leading to more cost, to illnesses like bronchitis, pleurisy, and so on. It is an utter sickening disgrace in the 21st century in the wealthy West, and in energy-rich Scotland, that people are still dying of preventable disease caused by lack of proper resources.
Why is it always the poorest and most vulnerable (not talking about ‘trans’, but the really vulnerable) who must bear the brunt of corporate greed and government lack of due diligence across the board? Something will have to be done to make things fairer all round or this UK is going to explode and implode at the same time.
The Scottish people are fortunate to have a politician like Kenny MacAskill who actually cares and what’s more, does something about the fact that people can’t afford to heat their homes. A cold house in the recent snow-bound Scotland is impossible to imagine – and especially when surrounded by power-generating turbines. In order to create the caring Scotland we so desperately want and need we must elect MORE LIKE KENNY.
Hear, hear, Jan.
Absolutely agree with kennys stand and the points made by Lorna and jan in comments. this is inded obscen and it is good that soemone is pointing this out in Wetsminster, if only the scottish givernment would protest more vigourously and also the SNO MPs in Westminster, who continue to sit on the benches while doing little, Flynn is beginning to challeng the PM at PMQs but we need a lot more of that.