PENSIONERS face the stark choice of ‘heating or eating’ this winter unless the States help them meet soaring energy costs, the chairman of Age Concern Jersey has warned.
Daphne Minihane says that many retired Islanders are at risk of hypothermia as they endure the misery of a cold house of flat. And she called on the States to follow the UK and help all those over the age of 60.
‘For many, it’s a case of either eat or heat,’ said Mrs Minihane, who has pleaded with the government to help more of the older generation pay their heating bills and not just those on Income Support. I am desperately worried that some old people will have to make a choice this winter over whether to eat properly or heat their homes,’ she said. ‘They need both of these things to keep warm and to survive but they might not be able to afford to pay for both.’
Her comments followed yesterday’s report that the winter fuel allowance could be increased by an extra 20 per cent to help those on Income Support pay. The increase, which would affect families with over 65s, children under three and those with significant disabilities, would benefit about half of the people currently receiving Income Support. However, though Mrs Minihane was delighted to hear that news, she is still worried for hundreds of other pensioners.
• Picture: Mrs Minihane addressing an Age Concern meeting
Article posted on 16th September, 2008 - 3.00pm
10 Article Comments
Once again the most vulnerable are going to be let down. Perhaps we should start with cutting down the heating in the States Offices and Court and also on their free lunches etc and see how they appreciate that. The money saved could be used to help the aged.
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Everyone focuses on penshioners. How about low income in general. Those families with young children that are working every hour to get a little more cash to make the winter more bearable.
We’ve just invested in alot more jumpers this year!
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I have every sympathy for the elderly and think that their heating should be subsidised by the JEC (with some of the profit they are making). I also have a feeling that a lot more of us are going to be feeling the pinch this coming winter. I have already been told that my electricity bill will be going up 25% over the next year. I have a reasonably paid job but I will feel the pinch and have to make economies yet again! How will we as a population cope with raised taxes, GST and now rising heating prices and all the other price rises that are on the horizon as the winter draws near. Any suggestions States Members? Or are we going to patronisingly be told to go out and buy jumpers and economise yet again! The States politicians talk in millions and waste millions of pounds while the rest of us are trying to look after the pennies and pounds to survive! Shame upon them!
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How about a single mother who works really hard for a living to bring up her daughter who can’t put on her heating bill because Gas made a big boo boo and tried charging her £600 at their fault and no one will do anything about it not the citizens advice, not the consumer council. It’s a joke – the whole place is a joke. This single mother will now have to face a cold winter without heating because she has to choose whether her and her daughter should stay warm or EAT! It’s not only pensioners that suffer in this Island.
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This is Jersey. This is a cash rich island. Yet this island has poverty! all the Jersey elite can say is ‘theres a ferry in the morning’. Well i look forward to the day when every one moves to better countries. Even the beans desert this beautiful island because the elite are running it in to the ground. Get out and vote!
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Mark Quoted: Even the beans desert this beautiful island because the elite are running it in to the ground. Get out and vote!
I´m a bean, and I got out in the eighties, and you know what, Our standard of living is twice as it would have been in Jersey, I can recommend getting out before the “BIG BANG” happens… you people live in “cloud cuckoo land”
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Exactly TK2. Our electricity is due to go up 25% in January.
The states don’t care. As long as their members have heating and food why bother about the rest of us?
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I’d like to add that alot of the elderly are actually better off than the low income families!
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Why does off-peak electricity go up at the same rate as normal electricity?
Off-peak is much cheaper, because it is impossible to switch off a nuclear power station during times of low demand.
I do not believe that the wholesale off-peak price paid by JEC is half the price of normal. I would guess it is about one third. Would anyone at the JEC care to contradict me?
Therefore anyone with electric heating is effectively subsidising everyone else. This really is a poor deal for pensioners who require higher temperatures!
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I think we should all get solar panels fitted and then see how JEC does with their profits !! Ooops a flaw in my plan – it would take forever to be able to afford the panels in the first place ! I think it is disgusting that JEC are even allowed to raise their prices by such an enormous margin. My husband and I have two children and a third on the way, costs are already too high – I will be wearing 10 layers of clothes this winter !!
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