'Enough is Enough' organise day of action in Norwich as typical energy bills rise again
It's a 27% increase, but the average amount we have to pay has been capped at the current level by Government for the next two years
From today the typical household energy bill will rise from just shy of £2,000 to £2,500.
It's a 27% increase, that's largely been caused by a strain on the supply of Russian and Ukrainian natural gas and oil, caused by the on-going conflict.
The Government has capped the average price at this level for the next two years, but another jump in prices has seen The 'Enough is Enough' campaign organise a 'National day of action' in Norwich and around the country.
It's thought that around 400 people will meet on Prince of Wales Road for this, at around 11am.
They are demanding a cut to soaring bill, a £15 an hour minimum wage and an end to food poverty, among other things.
"It's going to affect everyone in the UK"
Brooke Cadwell is from the city and has helped to organise this local march.
She says nobody can escape today's hike in our bills:
"Many of us are in entry level jobs, which means that we won't get enough money to pay the bills. But of course, that doesn't just mean young people it means anyone of any age. it's going to affect everyone in the UK, even those who are on a good salary- it's going to affect them as well. It doesn't matter what salary you are on, what job you have- if you are not getting a pay increase you're getting a pay cut".
"We are going to have to choose between heating and eating. That will be the case for nearly all of us, me included. Me, my friends and people I know will have to choose not to heat their homes. Over the winter we are already discussing the idea of the fact that we are going to have to not put the heating on at all, I'm sure that I'm not going to be the only person in Norfolk who is going to experience this".
"People are really stuck on how much they can cut back"
Helen Gilbert, the project manager of the King's Lynns foodbank says more needs to done, to help local people struggling:
"People are not using their ovens now, and it's getting to be quite a desperate situation for some people. The standing charges on energy are really very high and people are really stuck on how much they can cut back. This is particularly the case, when they are on pre-payment meters, when their rates are higher than the standard rates for other people".
"As winter months start to get colder, people will start to shut rooms off- so they are not heating the whole house, and they will start putting on more layers and they will make sure that they don't use anything excessively. We are hoping that we might be able to give away some slow-cookers this winter, hoping we might be able to get some funding for that, so that people won't have to spend so much on heating food".
What are the Government doing to help those struggling?
In addition to capping the average household energy bill, from today the most vulnerable will start receiving £400 off these bills from the Government- one of six sums being given out through autumn and winter.