The New "Pandemic" of Energy Bills in the UK

The New "Pandemic" of Energy Bills in the UK
September 1, 2022, 2:28 pm

Zara Saleh1

Since 2008, when the people of the UK had their first financial crisis, and after the Covid-19 pandemic in the last two years, Britain is facing yet another third crisis, of increased energy bills. In July, the temperature in the UK reached a peak of 41 degrees Celsius, and simultaneously with the heat, the Conservative government under Boris Johnsons leadership announced the expectant rise of electricity and gas bills by a shocking 80% from October 2022. In other words, people across the UK will face a catastrophic winter this year, and in the first three months of 2023, gas and electricity bills could reach to more than £5000 per year for each household, comparing to the last year’s average of £1,400.

As a result of such rise of energy bills, more than 24 million households in the UK who are on prepayment plans will be under the risk of financial crisis. The Tory government’s packet of £400 for the upcoming 6 months, as a family support for energy bills increasing, couldn't make a difference to the significant rise of energy charge. Boris Johnson's government has blamed the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the drop of pipeline imports from Russia as the main cause of such global energy crisis as a way to escape their responsibility. However, according to UK resources, only 15% of the UK gas import was from Russia. Consequently, there is a real concern, not only about the fact that the majority of households in Britain will not be able to pay their bills, but it will also affect all businesses and the cost of living as well.

Many of the people in the UK think that, in such a disaster of a rise of energy bills, the Tory government has failed to tackle this crisis. Additionally, the cost of living in the next upcoming months will be another serious problem for Britain. Both Tory candidates, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, are busy with their election campaign to become the Conservative leader and then the next UK Prime Minister without providing any new action plan to deal with the new "energy pandemic". There is no doubt that, as many of Britain believe, such crisis was a consequence of Boris Johnson's government policies. The election's result between Sunak and Truss could perhaps make no difference regarding tackling the energy crisis, as both candidates were part of Boris Johnson's government, who were behind such a catastrophic situation that the UK has not experienced in decades. On the other hand, many economic experts, and the Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, suggest that an action plan should take place in order to avoid such energy rises and the high cost of living. The option on freezing the price cap at the current prices level could be the best plan for now, and the government should fund such rises or cancel the rise of gas and electricity bills during this winter, in purpose for all households to get sufficient support.