I LIKE many other energy customers have recently received information informing them that their energy bill is to rise by 10%.
Npower’s information letter says: “We are writing to you to let you know that your gas prices will be going up on the 1st March. We know this isn’t good news so we want to be open with you about why this is happening.
“The decision to put our prices up is never easy and these increases come as the result of a number of factors which are affecting all energy suppliers:
“It’s costing us more in taxes and obligations to carry out government environmental and social schemes.
“We’re having to pay more to the companies who look after distribution networks that deliver energy to your home.
“The energy we’ve bought to supply your home and others this winter is more expensive than last year.”
They inform me that I could save up to £175 a year with loft insulation and it is worth knowing that they have a number of different tariffs designed to meet individual needs of their customers. Needless to say I am no longer with this fine upstanding company. Trouble is it will be out of the frying pan into the fire as they all follow suit.
My home is fully insulated so there will be no savings there. The Green issues are rising therefore there will be no savings there – only increases. As for taxes paid for energy they will be rising so there will be no savings to be made there also.
All in all the bottom line will be constant rises of energy which is well over the rate of inflation.
What I would like to know is there any government body out there fighting to reduce this ever increasing burden of keeping oneself alive? We hear David Cameron’s advice to shop around for the cheapest price and also insulate.
The Government’s latest words of wisdom are for people to have their homes fully insulated, double glazed and more efficient central heating boilers fitted.
How do you pay for this? Well, you have the cost of said efficiency put onto – wait for it – your energy bills.
As for the Greens we know where they stand with energy and what their answer is to all of this?
Labour and the Lib/Dems are just as wanting when it comes to ideas of reducing costs as that has never been one of their attributes.
So, has anyone got an answer to this problem of constantly rising energy costs, if they have now would be a great time to stand up? Politicians can remain seated please as you have caused enough problems already.
R J Bray
Shelley
Ignore EU court
CAN YOU believe that our Government (elected by our people) is being taken to court by Brussels for offering across-the-board tax cuts to encourage, yes encourage, homeowners to make their houses more energy-efficient?
The EC has dictated that under EU Rules such VAT reductions must be linked to ‘social policy’ (whatever that is). The explanation that a reduced VAT rate to all energy-saving materials breaches EU rules is a disgrace.
The legal action states “the UK is therefore going beyond the scope of what is permitted under EU law.” Another good reason for withdrawing from this over inflated ‘dictatorship’.
Why is it only this country that the EU dares to challenge on matters which do not concern them.
The Spanish ignore their dictates, the French laugh at them and the Germans just simply ignore them and nothing more is heard of it.
Let us hope the British Government ignores this threat as well.
Kirklees council does everything it can to assist householders to be more energy efficient and has worked with the Government on many schemes. Long may it continue.
Clr Christine Smith
Kirkburton Ward
Switch off EU link
WHILE OUR hard-working Prime Minister David Cameron has been beavering away in India selling off more of the UK family silver – all euphemistically called “exports” or “inward investments” – our electricity supply is about to be substantially reduced or even cut off at times!
His time could be better spent at home, here!
This “Coalition” government is systematically bringing our nation to its knees and I, for one, would like to know why?
Our power stations are being closed only “on orders from Brussels” and through our lack of investment in some new power stations.
We will soon be required to rely even more heavily on imported gas supplies just to keep the lights on – gas for which we can be blackmailed over the price and will be!
We could invest in our own power stations if we stopped sending £54m per day to Brussels. We should leave the EU today.
Stanley Parr
Huddersfield
Our anti-speed plea
I’M writing to show my appreciation to Examiner reporter Martin Shaw for the sensitive write up he did (February 11) about the sad loss of our much loved kitten.
I have had lots of positive feedback from neighbours and friends who agree that drivers should be thinking about their speed, especially on quiet roads.
Also the fact that if a motorist does hit a cat they should at least try to locate an owner and not just leave the body in the middle of the road.
Martin didn’t once make me feel that our story was insignificant and if it makes people think more about their actions and speed in built-up areas then it will have done what I intended.
Many thanks to all involved at the Examiner.
Davies family
Deighton
Where are the savings?
ONE THOUGHT that replacing the police panel of councillors with a Police and Crime Commissioner was to reduce costs to local council tax payers.
We read that our council tax will rise by 1p per day £3.65p per year from April 2013 the same time as we pensioners get an increase of just over £5 so once again most of it will have its hat and coat on brought about by councillors.
Quite clearly our new crime commissioner has not learned any lessons from his past years as a councillor as he still believes that council taxpayers are a bottomless pit.
Was he not to look for waste and savings within the police force?
The police panel, which I believed had been scrapped, was now at this very early stage of only months in office asking the PCC to look to reducing costs of his office. No change there then.
RD
Miirfield
