On a cold morning in early February, Edward McEwan approached Arnold Hill Spencer Academy on the outskirts of Nottingham, England, but he did not go inside the school where he normally teaches history to teenagers. McEwan, who has taught for a decade, joined colleagues at the school’s gates striking for better pay amid the rising cost of living that he said has paralyzed his ability to live a normal life.
McEwan’s energy bills, in particular, have been especially hard on him, more than doubling in the last year. His energy supplier has projected the total cost of his utilities would be £2,800 this year, compared to £1,200 this time last year. His monthly average bill stands at £220; last year it was around £100.
Nevertheless, McEwan maintains that he’s one of the lucky ones. He hasn’t needed to use a food bank or warm bank, community spaces that have been set up by the U.K.’s National Health Service, charities, libraries and museums for people to keep warm amid the energy crisis. Plus, McEwan’s Victorian-era house became eligible for a local green initiative, subsidizing solar panel installations.
Bianca Griffini, an anthropology PhD student at Goldsmiths University in South-East London, hit the picket lines protesting the low pay of university lecturers earlier this month. “There’s wind in the house with the windows closed,” she said. “The landlord doesn’t fix anything and you’re even concerned about asking for things to be fixed in case they actually do it and then raise your rent.”
Fenton joined other picketers at King’s College Hospital in South London on a recent February weekday to make her struggles known. She said physiotherapist pay is between 12-12.5% behind inflation. Fuel poverty-stricken households are more likely to be using prepayment gas and electricity meters, where people top up their meters using a card at their local store or online, which is inserted into the meter. When the card balance runs out, the meters automatically disconnect, leaving people without heating, lighting or hot water. It’s also a more expensive option than paying via monthly direct debit, which usually offers discounts and cheaper deals with energy suppliers.
The There For You charity also sponsors an Energy Support Fund, which will open up again this March to applications. Its last round of support received 4,000 applications.
Lol and Biden blew up their gas line.