Energy prices fan flames of poverty
■ IT is completely wrong that the big six energy firms are getting away with increasing prices by as much as 10% leaving many vulnerable people in fuel poverty.
Ofgem is supposed to regulate the energy industry but it is useless. Consumers are having to spend more and more of their income on essential services, but these greedy firms continue to pay extortionate salaries and bonuses to their CEOs and shareholder dividends remain unaffected. Time to rein in the money-grabbing energy companies who rip off hard-pressed consumers, while turning a blind eye to the misery they are causing.
Alan Smith, Doncaster
■ It appears the joke is on us when gas and electricity prices are set to increase on April 1. My pension might rise by 2% if I’m lucky, so it will cost me and millions of others like me, a lot more. Many pensioners and those on low incomes and benefits won’t be able to afford to heat and light their homes. I have prepayment meters as I can’t afford to pay big gas and electricity bills, so at least I use what I can afford but now that will be even less. I believe many could die of hypothermia if we have another cold snap.
Sean Dobson, Radcliffe Gtr Manchester
■ Is it any wonder so many customers have left British Gas (Mirror, Feb 22)? I am sure many are still with them just because of their boiler service. I am furious the so-called big six are being allowed to up their prices time and time again. We need to get rid of Ofgem and renationalise the greedy private energy companies. Anthony Martin, Loughton, Essex
■ Once again I read that energy prices are going up thereby wiping out any increase in my pension. How do energy firms and Government expect people to live like this? It’s a national disgrace. Water bills are also expensive. We need to renationalise all the utility firms – it’s the only way to bring prices under control.
M Ridley, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
■ It seems the establishment is geared towards helping big business to the detriment of the consumer. The big six appear to keep prices artificially high so they can engender large profits yet now the cap recently imposed by energy watchdog Ofgem has been removed. This leaves millions adversely affected. Howard Gardner, Sale
Gtr Manchester
■ Yet again we have the annual outcry over the big six energy firms raising their prices and yet nothing seems to be done to stop them. Meanwhile, Ofgem, whose job it is to monitor and regulate the industry, has recently handed out substantial bonuses to its employees.
How can this be justified?
Ken Pennington, Stalybridge Greater Manchester
■ Bus routes have been cut and train fares increased. Plus, there are acute NHS staff shortages and operations are being postponed or cancelled.
And now the big six electricity and gas companies are hiking prices yet again, along with the water firms, and there have been cuts to the fire service. The list goes on! I have to ask what is going on in this country?
Mike Minchella, Scarborough North Yorks
In reply to Brett Grainger who said we should not trade with China because of its human rights record (Your Voice, Feb 21), I wonder who he thinks we will have to do deals with after Brexit?
As for Gavin Williamson saying UK warships will have the freedom to patrol the South China Sea, he could drag us into a war. Hazel Rollins Burntwood, Staffs