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A leading trade union held a protest in Brighton as part of a national campaign against rising energy costs. The action on April 1 came as gas electricity bills went up for millions of households. Changes to the energy price cap means an annual bill for a household using an average amount of gas and electricity rose to £1,849 per year, which is an increase of £111 annually.
Water bills are also expected to rise by £123 per year. Levinia O'Connor, Clara Astill and Bill Ball were a few of the people representing the Unite Union Community in the South East. The stall was set up at the clocktower with a banner and leaflets.
(Image: Newsquest) Protesters gathered at the Clock Tower to emphasise what they believe to be failures of privatisation in these sectors and spoke of the impact on consumers. Ms O’Connor said: "I feel Ofgem, the regulator, are allowing these failures to persist and are not totally protecting the consumer". "The power lies with the people to demand change.
" Ofgem, the energy regulator, has been providing customers with advice - it has said those who want the security of knowing what their bill will be should consider moving to a fixed deal. However, the regulator also said customers should make sure they understand all the costs. A protest has been held at the clock tower.
(Image: Newsquest) Bill Ball, a 70-year-old retired school caretaker from Lewes, shared his personal experiences of the price hikes in energy bills. He said: “I consider myself one of the lucky ones due to having some savings. “However as a result of the price hike myself and many others have had to cut back on essentials.
“I am recovering from open heart surgery so I have had no choice but to keep the heating on for my health - so I have to make cuts elsewhere. Mr Ball is also concerned about the loss of the winter fuel allowance, which has further strained people’s ability to cope with heating costs. He explained that this adds to his financial strain.
“If people do not speak up, these issues will continue without resolution," he said. In response to the concern over the price hikes, the government said the decisions have been made to "keep costs down in the long run"..
