Ginger, hula hoop, pet – this is how the British should cut their heating bills
Suburb of London in winter: The energy crisis is increasingly affecting heating bills
Quelle: Getty Images/Christopher Hope-Fitch
The UK energy crisis is worsening. Millions of consumers will soon no longer be able to pay their heating bills. In the midst of this situation, a utility writes an e-mail to its customers – with suggestions that can range from questionable to absurd as to how they can reduce energy costs.
EIn a couple of jumping jacks, a hearty porridge, leave the oven door open after baking – this is an easy way to save heating costs, recommends the British energy supplier SSE in an email with practical tips that it has just sent to customers. Cuddling up with a pet or family member, engaging in a hula hoop competition with the kids, or eating ginger are also on the list of “easy and economical ways to stay warm this winter.”
The heat experts advise against hot chilli. The small pods are “sweaty”, and the body reacts directly to the brief warmth effect by cooling down. Drinking a lot is important. The consumption of alcohol is also counterproductive. “The warming feeling of wine or whiskey is only brief”, after which you feel even colder. Therefore: “Stick to non-alcoholic drinks.”
This advice may be well meant. In view of the drastic rise in energy prices and the fear of a veritable crisis in the cost of living in the country, the tricks of the SSE bargain hunters did not go down well.
British utility apologizes
“Tactless,” said Darren Jones, head of the parliamentary economic committee. “It’s a very difficult time for so many families; To be told to put on a sweater instead of turning on the heater when you can’t afford it is just insulting, “the Labor MP told the Financial Times.
His conservative colleague Theresa Villiers described her as “quite insensitive”. The concern about significantly increasing energy bills is considerable. Since a few jumps are recommended, it does not go down well.
SSE parent Ovo Energy, one of the largest energy suppliers in the country, has since apologized. The company described the news as “shameful” and “misjudged”. “We apologize. We understand how difficult the situation will be for many of our customers this year. ”The blog entry to which the customer message was linked has been taken offline and will be supplemented with relevant information.
Worry about a cost of living crisis
The significant increases in gas and electricity prices since the summer are having an ever greater impact on the bills of private households with a delay. A cap on energy costs, which applies to over 15 million households in the UK, was raised by twelve percent in October. The next step is due in April.
Observers anticipate that the cap could then be raised from £ 1,277 a year to around £ 2,000. A new tax introduced around the same time is likely to cost the average household an additional £ 600.
Concerns about a cost of living crisis are now so serious that more and more politicians are pushing for relief. Among other things, a suspension of VAT on private energy bills is examined. Also a one-time special tax on profits from oil and gas producers in the North Sea.
But the Treasury has concerns in both cases. The first option is not targeted enough to only support those in need, the second could lead to reluctance to invest in future.
Meanwhile, charities have been warning for weeks that millions of Britons could fall into energy poverty. Up to six million households could be affected by the fact that they regularly have to decide whether to use their scarce resources for food or heating and electricity. The hint that one gets warm while tidying up and cleaning actually seems more than cynical.
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