Hi John,

 

Today new Prime Minister Liz Truss has announced a host of misplaced measures that will only deepen the cost of living crisis and fuel the climate emergency. Can you tell her she needs to take real action to keep us warm this winter - and in the long term?

Two weeks ago, I emailed you to see if you could join us and a coalition of 40 anti-poverty and environmental groups who are calling on the UK government to urgently tackle the cost of living crisis. Since then, over 130,000 people from across the country have called on the government to act. 

 

Now Liz Truss has announced two big measures - but they don’t go far enough to help millions of vulnerable households this winter, plus the bill is still being paid for by you - the taxpayer - and the climate. 

 

Firstly, she’s announced an energy bills freeze which, while stopping millions from going into fuel poverty, will ultimately see taxpayers pay the £130 billion bill after the next election. Meanwhile fossil fuel companies are set to make £170 billion in profit in the same time frame. [1] Energy companies like Shell, who Truss used to work for, have been making huge profits fuelling the climate crisis, whilst 6.5 million people struggle with fuel poverty across the UK. Instead of making people like me and you foot the bill - it’s time the energy companies did.

 

Secondly, the new Prime Minister wants to disregard the Conservative’s own net zero manifesto commitments, ramp up North Sea oil and gas production - and even bring back fracking. 

 

We need to be clear: this will not help bring down our bills, now or in the future. New fossil fuel projects won’t be ready for decades, and will still be at risk of volatile prices - plus will fuel the climate crisis that is seeing 40 degree heat and crops fail here in the UK. 

 

If Truss was serious about acting on the cost of living and climate crises, she should provide immediate financial support to households in need, upgrade and insulate homes to bring bills down, and invest in renewable energy - which is nine times cheaper than gas - instead of drilling for new fossil fuels.

 

Liz Truss’s top priority must be to keep people warm this winter, and in the long term. Can you join us and call on her to take proper action, right now?

Thanks for everything you do,

Anthony and the Oil team

 

 

Notes:

[1] UK gas, electricity industry may make 170 bn pounds excess profits

 

P.S Here’s the email I sent last time:

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Hi John,

 

Today Ofgem announced the new energy price cap will increase causing bills to rise to over £3500 a year, this means millions more people will have to choose between heating their homes or eating. This catastrophic rise in energy bills makes it very likely that you - or someone you know, will be pushed into fuel poverty along with half of households in the UK. [1][2]

 

The UK is facing the worst cost of living crisis in decades - the government must act right now. 

 

Can you sign the petition and join over 40 charity and campaign groups who are calling for urgent support to keep people warm this winter, and take action to reduce our bills in the long term? 

Our bills are so high for a few reasons; firstly, we have some of the worst insulated houses in Europe, meaning heat leaks from our homes making us use more energy to keep warm. By upgrading and insulating our homes, households could save hundreds on energy bills. [3][4] 

 

Secondly, we’re still addicted to gas, which is nine times more expensive than renewables. [5] By swapping boilers for heat pumps and rapidly expanding renewable energy we could stop our dependence on volatile fossil fuels. These measures won’t just save people money, they’d tackle the climate crisis too. 

 

Thirdly, energy companies are making bumper profits and paying out dividends to executives and shareholders instead of pricing the public fairly. [6]

 

But Liz Truss, who looks like she's in poll position to be the next PM, isn't offering any measures that'll actually fix the problem now and in the long term. Her plans will not only deepen the cost of living crisis, but the climate crisis too! [7] Without proper government action, households will still get huge bills in October, next winter, and the winter after that.

While the cost of living crisis will push millions into poverty, it’ll affect Disabled, older and people of colour communities even more. On average, Disabled people have much higher energy costs as many medical and mobility devices require electricity to function. The average state pensioner will spend more than a third of their income on energy bills alone, while people of colour will also be disproportionately affected. [8][9][10] 

 

That’s why we’ve joined a coalition of 40 charity and campaign groups, including Save the Children, Age UK and Oxfam, who are calling for the government to take immediate action to tackle the cost of living crisis by providing urgent financial support to those who are in need, by upgrading and insulating homes to bring bills down, and by investing in renewable energy instead of drilling for new fossil fuels. [11]

 

Can you join us and call on the government to tackle the cost of living crisis immediately?

This is one of the biggest issues facing the UK right now. 

 

Every single day of inaction puts more people at risk -  the government must make energy affordable, practical and renewable now - and in the future 

 

Thank you for everything you do,

Anthony and the Oil team. 

 

 

Notes: 

[1] Ofgem raises energy price cap by 80% to £3,549 from October 

[2] Energy bills: Half of UK households face fuel poverty, EDF warns

[3] British homes among the worst insulated in Europe

[4] How insulation can help save on your energy bills with UK households cutting £1.15bn in costs per year

[5] Analysis: Record-low price for UK offshore wind is nine times cheaper than gas

[6] Why are energy companies making so much money? What’s driving the record profits as prices for consumers soar

[7] Cutting income tax would be an ‘incredibly inefficient’ way of dealing with the cost of living crisis

[8] Disabled people facing ‘impossible choices to survive’ in cost of living crisis

[9] Martin Lewis warns people on State Pension will lose one third of annual benefit to pay energy bills

[10] Cost of living: People of colour to be hit hardest by ‘unfathomable’ poverty

[11] Tory leadership candidates ‘ignoring winter fuel crisis’ urged to do more for struggling families

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