ENERGY companies have come under fire after the latest in a series of price rises left many fearing the winter to come.
British Gas raised its fuel prices by six per cent last week, NPower will increase the price of gas by an average of 8.8 per cent next month and Southern Electric has also put up its prices, by nine per cent.
Pensioners and businesses in the district claim that there is not enough competition and it is difficult to switch suppliers.
Dennis Esau, 80, of Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, said: “You switch from one to the other and then that price goes up.”
He said the government should have more control over fuel prices.
“The dopey MPs in Parliament have allowed all these foreign firms to cash in. I blame British governments over the past 10 to 15 years for allowing them to do it.”
Steve Mitchell, 46, runs a Silkworth Trust food bank, which helps people in the district who are struggling to pay the bills.
“We’re going to be unusually busy this winter,” he said. “People are going to be struggling with gas and electricity.
“If people bring their gas meter cards, if we have the money, we will help them by topping them up.”
Geraldine Wilson, 59, who runs Geraldine’s Hair Fashions in The Broadway, said: “We use a lot of electricity for the driers and it’s probably the main expense – that and the rent. It’s really worrying.”
She said she tried to find fixed rate contracts to hold off rises in her bills when energy prices are hiked.
“We get a fixed price – it’s the only way you can try and hold it,” she added. “Different companies’ prices follow each other – you change to one that’s not gone up and it follows.”
Andrew Gardner, chief executive of Age UK, said pensioners, who often struggle with price hikes, were often unwilling to shop around for the best prices online.
“It’s generally very complicated,” he said. “We’re trying to teach people how to look for that information and offering them cheap PCs.”
Pensioners who want help learning to compare prices online can call Jeremy Anderson at Age UK on 01708 374537.
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