22nd February 2010
British Gas is expected to cause controversy when it announces a
50% surge in profits after a winter where millions could barely
afford to heat their homes.
The UK's largest energy supplier made more than £550m profit
over the past year. But at the same time, 5.4m pensioners living in
fuel poverty struggled to keep warm during the harshest winter in
30 years.
36,700 more deaths among the elderly were recorded last winter
than in the warmer months, according to the Office for National
Statistics. This was an increase of 12,000 on the previous
year.
The major energy companies have been criticised for not
doing more to cut bills before the winter. Despite wholesale energy
prices falling by 60% since the middle of 2008, customer bills have
only come down by less than 10%.
For those living in fuel poverty - where more than 10% of
disposable income is spent on heat and light - turning down the
heat in even the coldest of conditions is often the only option,
leaving them vulnerable to illnesses such as pneumonia.
The Age Concern and Help the Aged charity slammed the energy
suppliers for the rise in winter deaths, which they attribute to
"cash-strapped older people turning down the heating."
The Conservatives and official consumer campaigner Consumer
Focus have called for an inquiry into the energy industry and its
failure to pass on wholesale price reductions to the customer.
Comparison and switching website uSwitch.com said household
energy bills are £270 higher than two years ago, with the average
bill hitting around £1,200.
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