First comment that comes up on the Twitter link “How much to nationalise them?” Because that solves the problem instantly……
For the first time in my life, as a UNISON member, I put in my ballot in to reject the 4% pay offer by my employers, which is in fact a pay cut in real terms. Next ballot will be to vote for Industrial Action or not. I have had enough!
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Well, TBH that is much of the problem and is also why people end up in poverty traps - the need to spend to save. It is also why an energy crisis, much like a pandemic, economic crash and war need to be planned for in advance. It’s not something that Britain has been particularly good at historically (there was a sort of sweet spot with Kenneth Clarke and Gordon Brown as chancellors when things were planned for - at least economically).
In terms of what to do now, it’s more a case of emergency planning. How do you keep the lights on an stop people freezing to death? I’m trying to think back to the oil crisis in 1973 which is the closest to our current situation. One of the policies there was a three day week. There were also routine scheduled blackouts. I’m not sure whether they made the right choices then but the choices that they made could be planned around. It looks like candles and blankets to the ready.
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It’s probably too late to be able to spend now but it should have been a govt policy made years ago to phase out older more gas/electricity guzzlers etc etc.
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I’m just teasing but the spend to save terminology is sound.
I’d love to fill the roof here with solar panels. I’ve got a good amount available. Also kicking myself that I didn’t properly insulate the floor of the living room when I had a chance. There is something there but I could have done more I think. Probably killed my budget doing it though.
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Long thread.
This maybe could have gone to a number of different threads but i gelt this one was the most appropriate .
I find all energy efficient products are nonsense, not that the products are not what it is, but the people selling it are. For example electric cars in Singapore. The government gives a fair bit of subsidy on taxes to incentivize people to buy EC. But the people who sells them, say hey, since the government has made it cheaper and the consumers are going to save money over the next 10 years, guess what I gonna price it so much higher now, meaning basically, the subsidies and the consumer savings all become profits for the seller. Even simple products like when Led bulbs were coming through and I was selling them and the push was how much electricity it would save and the lifetime is like 10 times more… But guess what we price them 15 times more so for common people, out of pocket who might be struggling even to put food on table, they will end up still buying an incandescent which is less than a dollar compared to an led which is 10.
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Well, here we go:
£3549 for the average house. We’re moving to the pub to keep warm. All jokes apart, expect every product from every business to now go up in price. Bills have to be paid.
Price cap could rise to above £5,000, says energy supplier
Simon Oscroft, co-founder of So Energy, also tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that prices may have to rise to £5,000 and higher next year.
“The real cost of energy this winter if we were to buy energy at today’s prices is actually a lot more than the price cap and suppliers will be losing money,” he adds.
This is a story from a Pensioner. This is so heartbreaking. So many of them are going to freeze to death this winter
I anticipate a huge drive this winter for people to get together in one house at a time. Bob heats his house one day and 4 neighbours come round, Lilly does the same the next etc. Might actually have a tiny gold lining now I think about it. Hideous though. You have to have a fair few £££ in the bank or a very good income for this not to affect you. Salah isn’t worried but the club’s physios / ground staff etc will be I suspect. Just an example, not picking them out specifically.
From a social darwinist perspective, it’s not such a bad thing. The weak and poor will be weeded out, but the strong and vigorous will survive, leaving more resources to go round when the crisis abates.
Let’s hope there aren’t any socialistic government handouts interfering with the natural process of the survival of the fittest.
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…you dont have to run faster than the bear, just faster than the next bloke kinda thing then?..
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Not easy to do however.
Well, there are cultures who used to put their old and infirm on boats and pushed them off……
Love being stalked round the forum. the only thing worse than being talked about etc.
out of interest which thriving cultures are they?
Pretty sure the combined efforts of the English, Spanish and assorted European nations almost wiped them out. I didn’t say it was a good idea 
Said this so many times. There should be a simple social safety net that provides safety, shelter, warmth, food, clothing and the basic requirements of life. If you want more, work for them. Here we go…… Again……
isnt that the point though?
that theres no safety net for the impending COL crisis in your country (and globally), you guys arent talking about scroungers, but pensioners who have paid tax all their life, contract workers…
if people who ARE working cant afford it? what hope is there of having a ‘simple safety net’ that isnt more tempting than actually working?
maybe ive got the wrong end of the stick
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Yes, that is the point. Provide absolutely the basics to those who need them. If you’ve paid in (if) all your life, you should expect a nice retirement, not the threat of freezing to death. If you haven’t (if I were PM) you would be safe, warm, fed, clothed and looked after. But the current system doesn’t do this and never has. It just gives people money.