Keir Starmer has a “scheme” to help folk pay their energy bills. Rishi Sunak has a “scheme” to help folk deal with the rising cost of energy. Liz Truss? Not really sure what she’s proposing to be honest. But, why all the scheming? Why do we have to “freeze” the energy price cap? What next? Stop the tides coming in? Our benefits system isn’t great, I get that. Universal Credit doesn’t have a good rating on Trustpilot, but, the benefits system is a direct link to the people who are worst hit by food inflation and energy price inflation. So, why aren’t we using it?
Sunak’s “scheme” gave folk £150 linked to Council Tax bands. Two one off payments of £325 will be paid via Universal Credit, but those on Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit won’t receive anything till “autumn”. The £400 payment to energy companies on behalf of all UK households will mean Prince Charles getting multiple £400 discounts on his energy bills. same as The Queen and Mr Sunak and all the others who own more than one property. Those in multi-occupancy dwellings will receive nothing as the discount will be creditied to the Landlord’s account. This isn’t helping, it is INSANITY. It makes a bad situation worse, but even Labour have jumped on the bandwagon. They aren’t calling for an uplift in benefits, they would much rather give £29 billion to the energy companies to “freeze” a price cap that sees the unit price of electricity at 29p, a level unaffordable to millions.
Sunak did uplift benefits during the pandemic and this is the only way to ensure you tick the box marked “helping poor folk”. For those on Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, a “one off payment had to happen” because upping the rates was “complicated”. Now might be a good time to uncomplicate it. Benefits in the UK have been slashed by 75% since 2010 and all that “austerity” shaved not one penny off The National Debt, in fact the UK’s debt burden increased dramatically. Doubling benefits now would go a long way to solving a lot of peoples’ problems. But, what if they don’t pay their energy bills? You see THAT is priority number one here for the politicians, not helping poor folk, but helping energy companies get through this Winter. So, politicians of all colours, need to wake up fast and get cash to people who actually need it, before it’s too late.