The typical household, on a dual-fuel direct debit, will pay £1,928 in energy bills from the beginning of this year, which is an increase of £94. Many could pay more depending on usage. Usdaw conducted a survey of over 6,000 members, mainly key workers, and found that:
- Nearly 70% have struggled to pay energy bills in the past year, with 30% struggling to pay them every single month.
- Around a third no longer use their household heating.
- Over four-in-ten have cut down on other essentials such as food.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Any cost increase in essential items like energy and food, put a huge strain on those already struggling to make ends meet. Both energy and food are rising at more than the headline rate of inflation and these fundamentals of life account for a large proportion of low-paid workers income.
“Energy costs remain shockingly high and, without last year’s energy support payments, many households could end up paying more than last winter. Typical bills are still nearly double the prices being paid in February 2020, which amounts to over two years of a cost of living crisis severely impacting our members.
“Along with eye-watering food inflation at 9.1%, it is little wonder that too many are low-paid workers are being forced to keep the heating off, avoid cooking meals and choose between eating and heating. Short-term support with ongoing cost of living pressures is not enough and the Government needs to deliver lasting solutions with a new deal for workers.
“The Government is not offering the change our members need. Labour is pledged to deliver a much needed and long overdue new deal for workers. The failures of nearly fourteen years of the Conservatives in government are clear for everyone to see. Only a Labour Government can put Britain back on track.”
The next Labour Government will deliver a new deal that includes:
- Making work pay with a genuine living wage that people can actually live on.
- Banning zero-hours contracts.
- Ending fire and rehire.
- Giving workers basic rights from day one.
- Going further and faster in closing the gender pay gap.
- Making work more family friendly.
- Tackling sexual harassment.
- Ensuring that unions can stand up for their members.
- Boosting collective bargaining, to improve workers’ pay, terms and conditions.
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades
www.usdaw.org.uk
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