Couple to go ‘off-grid’ as energy bills keep soaring

A DUNDEE woman says she plans to take her home off-grid in response to rising energy costs.

Valentine Scarlett, from Lochee, says huge hikes in the cost of gas and electricity are making it difficult for her and her husband to heat their home.

Instead she plans on switching to using sources like solar power.

She spoke to the Tele about the unusual move at a protest over the cost of living crisis, held at City Square yesterday, involving members of trade unions and activists.

The 65-year-old said: “I recently took early retirement due to my health, and my husband and I plan to use the lump sum to put solar panels on my house and a battery.

“We’re going to take it totally out of the system.

“Our heating bill has already gone up over 150% and it’s going to go up more. “There’s no way we can afford it. “We’ve switched off the gas – we already switched that off months ago – and we’re lucky in that we have a wood-burning eco stove in our living room.

“My husband is on his pension but he doesn’t get anything else.

“I get a small university pension and next year I’ll be getting my state pension, but if we didn’t have the resources to go off the grid we would be struggling.

“That’s what horrifies me. If we’re going to be struggling, what happens to the people who have got nothing?”

The protest was organised by members of Unite the Community Tayside, Dundee Trades Union Council, and Unite Area Activists Committee.

The groups gathered to launch their new campaign, Power to the People, which is calling for action from governments to tackle the cost of living crisis.

Student protesters Adam Robertson and Hamish Fraser were inspired to join the protest due to rising energy bills.

Hamish, 18, said: “I’ve noticed how much it’s going up and I’m just wondering how much further it is going to go.

“They’re saying it could go up another £800 in October.

“How much further can it go up until everyone is in fuel poverty?”

Adam said: “My energy bills since I moved into my flat last year have doubled.

“I’ve managed to pay it so far but I had to apply for an overdraft on my account.

“Like Hamish said, it just feels like a matter of time until everyone is struggling.

“We both work and it’s still not enough to afford to live.”

The protest is just the first in a campaign organisers say could run for months.

Michael Taylor, branch secretary of Unite the Community Tayside, said: “We’re going to have another couple of demonstrations in the next few months.

“The figures are saying that nearly 40% of people are going to be pushed into fuel poverty.

“There’s a possibility that over the next few months, as people anticipate the winter and anticipate their bills, this could turn into a huge protest movement.”