Fuel poverty

[2little2late]

http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=149235&command=displayContent&sourceNode=149218&contentPK=14263850&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch

Any one struggling with fuel poverty? I definately am. At the moment I am unemployed. (not by choice). Our house is all electric. Our last bill for the quarter was almost £180.00. We have electric storage heating. We just cannot afford this heating. We only have two heaters on in the house. The hallway and the living room. It's alright during the day, nice and warm. But come evening time when we need it most the heat has almost gone from the heaters. There is no happy medium with this type of heating either too hot or too cold.

Can't understand why it's only pensioners who get the fuel allowance. We are just as vulnerable, especially with two young children. We can't even afford to put the heaters on in their bedrooms before they go to bed. Yet today Scottish hydro decide to raise the price of gas and electric.

I'm just glad we don't have a coel fire with the price of coal at over £10.00 a bag. It's totally ridiculous these large monopolies being allowed to exploit the vulnerable.

The sooner we get this community heating installed, the better.

[erli]

I totally sympathize with you. I have storage heaters too and I hate them. Just like you said it's like a sauna in the livingroom in the morning and freezing at night. I bought a oil filled radiator for my living room and it's great, but I have to put the heating on in the kids rooms. I am going through about £25 a week in elecricity.
I am moving house soon and thankfully it has gas central heating and a lovely open fire. I can't wait.
Nevermind, the weather will surely get better soon.

[airdlass]

These utility companies have us over a barrel so to speak when it comes to whose the cheapest. In the end they all put their prices up so you're back to square one. I think it's disgusting that they are allowed to get away with it.
Scottish Gas offered their customers a deal where your prices were frozen for so many years if you signed acontract - however if you decided to change your supplier early then you would be charged a ridiculous amount for the privilige of changing your mind.

[Fran]

2Little2Late.....I totally agree with you. the pensioners seem to get it all. the government forget that other people need to be kept warm also...disabled, sick, children and those on low income. we could all write to our mp about it, i wonder if he could bring it up in the house of commons??

[Ann]

I know it is possible to get a grant for installing central heating if yours is inadequate. Maybe if you approach the Council or get advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau this may be possible; worth a try anyway!
Ann

[2little2late]

2Little2Late.....I totally agree with you. the pensioners seem to get it all. the government forget that other people need to be kept warm also...disabled, sick, children and those on low income. we could all write to our mp about it, i wonder if he could bring it up in the house of commons??

We can all try as we might Fran, but the government is the government. They don't care too much about the younger generation. They look after the pensioners because it is them who they rely on in general elections. We can't even qualify for cold weather payments because the temperature has to be below zero for seven consecutive days and the nearest measuring station for temperature for Caithness is Bonar Bridge. So, it could be below zero for six consecutive days down there and below zero in Caithness for seven consecutive days and we wouldn't qualify for cold weather payments. The whole system stinks.

Sick of all these public schoolboy politicians who have never lived through poverty.

[krieve]

We have a coal fire it cost us £12.50 a bag.We can usually make it stretch the week but sometimes have to get 2 bags. We also have 2 young kids, we don't qualify for the new heating in pultney as we have a bought house.

[Julia]

We don't qualify for the new heating in pultney as we have a bought house.

Anybody who lives in Pulteneytown where the new heating is being installed can choose to have the new heating scheme, council tenants can have it installed free of charge but owner occupiers will have to pay between £2000 and £3000 depending on the size of the house.

The weekly running costs will be between £8 - £9.50 again depending on the size of property. This is for a constant 24 hour supply of heating and hot water, 52 weeks a year.

For more information have a look at Caithness Heat & Power's web site

www.caithnessheatandpower.com

[Royster1911]

Our coal is £12.40 per bag just now. Its going up in price next week but the coalman does not have details as to how much. All he would say is that it is a substantial increase. WHY? The coal we are going through is about 6 bags per month. Not a cheap option