Fear and anger as Greater Manchester reacts to yet another energy price cap rise

On a sunny Friday in the lead-up to the busy August bank holiday weekend, Bury market is full of friendly faces. But it only takes a mere mention of this week’s announcement – yet ANOTHER devastating announcement – on the rising energy price cap for anger and fear to begin to show. On Friday (August 26), Regulator Ofgem announced that the price cap on energy bills will rise by 80 per cent to GBP3,549 for the average household in October – meaning energy bills, for many, will be around GBP2,300 more than a year earlier.

Bury residents and business owners told the Manchester Evening News the dramatic news could force them to make a drastic choice – ‘heat or eat’ this winter. Kathryn Webster, a grandmother who out with her three grandchildren, said she was worried her 93-year-old father will be unable to heat his home come October. READ MORE:The picturesque village plagued by binge drinkers and chaos at night

“He lives on his own, he’s in his 90s and needs heating,” she said. “He relies on that. It’s okay now because it’s the summer, but I’m worried about the winter months. “It will be down to heat or eat.”

Kathryn blamed the government for not stepping in sooner, accusing them of ‘selling out’ to large energy companies. She said she wants them to stop privatisation and bring them back under national control. “To me, the government should never have sold out to all these companies and left us in this situation, because this was always going to happen,” she told the M.E.N.

She also said she didn’t have faith in other political parties to make changes.

Kathryn blamed the government, and said they needed to do more to help people (Image: ASP)

“It’s just devastation now, because at the end of the day you’re trapped by the laws that are made and the money they’re asking for. It’s just going to get worse.” Her anger with the government was echoed across the market hall by stall owner Michael Kenny, who owns Kenny Electricals.

He compared the UK with other countries such as France and Germany, where energy companies are nationalised and residents are facing far smaller hikes. “What is our government doing for us?,” he asked. “People are going to really struggle. Hospitals will be filled with old folk.”

He told the M.E.N. he was worried about the impact that people having less money to spend would have on his business – a concern also shared by Joanne Stanhope, who runs the All Things Gothic shop.

Joanne Stanhope said she may have to close her shop if customers stop being able to spend (Image: ASP)

“People will have less money to spend, and that affects the little companies first,” she said. She said she was angry at the government for ‘protecting the big companies’, and said she believes the government should be taxing them more. Joanne said she had even considered the possibility that she may have to get another job and close her shop if times become too tough for customers.

“If my wage does down because people are spending less, I might have to think about getting a different job,” she added. “It’s not fair – they’re protecting the big companies and not the little places.” Stephen McEnery, who runs Coffee Loco, started his shop during lockdown. He said the impact of soaring energy bills would be ‘huge’ for his business and his home life.

Stephen McEnery said he uses lots of electrical equipment inhis coffee shop, and is worried about the increase (Image: ASP)

“I run a small business, I only take home a small wage,” he said. “If that goes down, it becomes a case of heat or eat.”

In Harpurhey, residents shared similar concerns. Michael Taylor, a retired caretaker, called the government’s response to the crisis ‘disgusting’. “I’m not going to pay it.

I’d rather go to prison than pay. I’m not starving to make shareholders rich. The government should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.

Michael Taylor criticised the government for leaving people behind

“The whole thing is disgusting.

The energy companies are making billions of pounds of profit – they’re rubbing it in the faces of the little guy. Areas like this are struggling already and this will devastate people – people are scared and crime will go up as people can’t afford things. The knock-on effects are going to be horrendous.

“The government should govern – it seems like they’re on the side of big business and they don’t care about people around here. It’s disgusting that we have food banks in the 21st Century and people can’t afford heating.” Beth Bove, 26, told the M.E.N. she knows people who are struggling already – and that she’s worried things are only going to get worse.

Beth Bove said the increase will be ‘scary’ for many

“Areas like this especially need more support but it’s just not there.

I know people who are struggling at the moment and when the bills go up in a few months it’ll just be even worse for them,” she said. “There should definitely be more support at a local level, but you can’t see much at all. The rise is going to be scary for loads of people because of that.”

What the government says

A government spokesperson said: “We know people are incredibly worried about rising energy bills, following unprecedented gas prices across the continent driven by global events, including Putin’s aggression in Ukraine and his weaponisation of energy in Europe.

“Direct support will continue to reach people’s pockets in the weeks and months ahead, targeted at those who need it most like low-incomes households, pensioners and those with disabilities. As part of our GBP37bn package of help for households, one in four of all UK households will see GBP1,200 extra support, provided in instalments across the year, and everyone will receive a GBP400 discount on their energy bills over winter. “The civil service is also making the appropriate preparations in order to ensure that any additional support or commitments on cost of living can be delivered as quickly as possible when the new Prime Minister is in place.”

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