How long are we going to keep paying the price for our governments’ bungled energy policies?
As energy prices continue to rise, it’s going to be a tough winter around Europe. In the United Kingdom, the Don’t Pay campaign is calling on consumers to stop paying their bills to energy companies, after the Conservative government lifted a price cap that will double energy bills, forcing many households to either “eat or heat.”
In addition to demonstrations and a media campaign, the campaign aims to convince a sufficient number of consumers to cause serious problems for the energy companies, who are accused of profiting from the situation. To do so, they are asking consumers to cancel their direct debits so as to retain to control over the situation, and to raise awareness by sticking posters in the windows of their homes.
The Conservative government has dismissed the campaign as irresponsible, claiming it will cause further price hikes, as well as damaging people’s credit rating. In response, Don’t Pay UK says many households simply have no choice, pointing out that the root of the problem lies in the energy policies of this and previous governments. The group says some 75,000 people are already committed to taking action if the government does not announce measures to directly help struggling households.
