Across the country people are speaking with one voice: they need help with their energy bills now.
The message is the same from the north and the south of country, from the left and the right and the young and the old.
They are worried about how they will afford bills of £6,000 a year.
They are worried about having to choose either heating or eating.
They are worried about their jobs, their homes and their health.
But their greatest fear is they will not get the help they so desperately need. Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for an immediate freeze of the energy price cap.
The trade unions, hospital chiefs and charities have all voiced alarm about the crisis about to descend on households across Britain.
Even the bosses of the energy companies have called for the Government to do more.
The only people who have not heard the cry for help are the Conservatives. Boris Johnson could have used his final days in office to deliver an emergency support package.
This could have been this legacy.
But he cares so little for the country he was elected to govern that when duty called he bunked off on his second foreign holiday in a fortnight. Instead of listening to the public, the Tories have been speaking only to themselves.
They could have called time on the lengthy leadership contest in recognition of the urgency to address this national emergency.
At this most crucial of times, they have left Britain in limbo.
Whoever becomes Prime Minister next needs to wake up to the crisis they are about to inherit. They need to read what the people on these pages are saying.
And then they need to act.
These 36 Brits explain why Tories need to help now.
Irum Rahman , 35, and her daughter Anaya , nine, from Perry Ball, West Midlands, said: “They shouldn’t bother with the HS2 for a start, all the money being spent there. Prices should be frozen and then cut.”
Val Evans , 76, from Quinton, said: “I think they should fix the prices, they really should. “The energy companies are just bothered about profits, it’s all about what they’re making. They’re all on far too much money and they’re increasing it in a few weeks time.
Carole Rogers , 69, from Harborne, said: “The prices definitely need fixing at this rate, we can’t have them go higher. “We’ll survive but you have to budget over £5,000 a year just for your energy bills.”
Bob Ellison , 80, from Cornwall, said: “We live on a canal boat but we still feel the cost increases. “Electricity and fuel has increased but we’re relatively comfortable so it won’t impact us as much. “We use a lot of sustainable stuff and live sustainably, but still.”
Pam Ellison , 69, from Cornwall, said: “Prices are very high at the moment, the trouble is to pinpoint precisely where to go with it. “The logistics of helping everyone just wouldn’t work. “How do you help people, everyone. It’s hard.”
Doreen Brady , 79, from Moseley, said: “The prices are high, too high for us. I think they should be cut. “It will get too expensive to live at some point. “It could get bad.”
Matt Arran , 30, from Manchester, a university researcher who is engaged, said: “Boris Johnson has been off on his holiday at a time when we’re in a cost-of-living crisis. The conservatives don’t seem to be concerned about the people of this country.
“The conservatives should serve the country, not the party. I hope Liz Truss ’s position is just posture during the leadership election.”
Grandma to six children, Christine O’hara , originally from Southeast London, living in Manchester, a retired administer with the equalities and human rights commission, said: “We definitely need to freeze energy bills now. It’s going to affect families, and the increase would be devasting.”
Phoebe Norwood , 21, from Huddersfield, graduate registered staff nurse, said: “I do think we should cap energy prices and freeze bills before they get hiked again. It should be stopped now for those who are financially struggling and before it gets worse.”
Ashley Felton , 62, from Devizes, Wiltshire, ex-soldier in the Royal Engineers (17 years’ service), now a director of a mortgage service company and grandad of four, said: “I think there needs to be targeted help for those who are the hardest hit. “But the problem with the conservative government - and I’ve been a conservative voter all my life - is they’ve cocked up with their plans and haven’t done enough.”
Bradley Kelly , 21, sales associate at Selfridges from Manchester, said: “I really want the government to freeze bills now and cap the rising energy costs.
“I feel like the previous generation lived in a different economic climate. Now there are more obstacles and it’s harder and more of a challenge.”
Ian Ridewood , 67, who previously worked for HMRC and is now retired with two grandchildren, originally from London but now lives in Manchester, said: “I’ve got two daughters and two grandchildren. Their generation should be looking forward to things getting better, but they are going to have more trouble with everything.
“I’m sad for my grandkids and for my kids.”
Sarah Mhamdi , 29, property manager on maternity leave, originally from France but living in Manchester, said: “I can’t work full time as I’m on maternity leave, so obviously I’m worried as I can’t claim a full salary.
“But I will put my child’s safety first. I will not turn the heating off and put them in danger. I won’t let it affect their health or my health.“
Harrison Smart , 20, a ground worker from Manchester, said: “The government should definitely freeze bills and keep the price cap from going up. It’s going to affect so many people while the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.“
Karen Shendon , 48, early years practitioner, from Scunthorpe, North Lincs, said: “I want the government to freeze bills. “We will be turning down the heating and wearing extra cardigans and jumpers during the winter. “
Anthea Baber , 56, council housing needs officer, four children and four grandchildren, from Manchester, said: “The government say inflation has gone up ten per cent, but it feels like it’s gone up about 25 per cent. “I’m a widow now, and when my husband was unwell, I had to go part-time to look after him. I was left with hardly enough. It’s just madness.”
Retired NatWest worker Pamela , 78, from Sidcup, said: “I think the government should put some kind of block on the energy companies because they’re making so much money. “How can they justify putting their prices up? “If they weren’t making money I could understand it but they’re making an obscene amount of money which isn’t right.”
Bakery worker Jane Westley , 52, from Belvedere, London, is also feeling the pinch. She said: “My gas has doubled in the last year. “It was £36 and then in April it went up to £76 - a huge increase. “It does worry me that next month it’s going to go up again. “I definitely think the government should freeze the energy prices.”
Gran-of-three, Wendy Jones , 62, private hospital receptionist from London, said: “Freezing the energy prices might be a good idea for the time being because they can’t keep going up and up.“It’s got to the point where someone has got to do something about it - it’s got to stop.”
Full-time mum-of-two, Jessie Baker , 26, said her energy bills have also risen dramatically. She explained: “I was paying £80 for gas and electricity, now it’s gone up to £110. It’s ridiculous. How are we meant to save up or do nice things? “Some of my friends are really suffering - they’ve had to use food banks. “I’m seeing more people on the streets now too.”
Dad-of-five Jamie McGraw , AGE, a telesales worker from south-east London, said the rising cost of energy has meant he’s struggling to feed his children nutritious meals. He said: “It makes it hard to eat healthy and live healthily. We’ve had to cut back on things.
“My boy’s nursery are having to lower their fees so people can afford it. It’s incredibly stressful.
“They need to put a cap on the energy prices.”
Student Akshita Brahma , 20, from Norfolk, said: “All the government care about is capitalism and making money. They’re not looking out for us.
“While all of us are having to pay more, the energy companies are still making billions, which is really frustrating.”
Construction worker Joe Hatcher , 34, from south-east London, said the rising cost of electricity and gas has left him cutting back on social activities. He said: “I live in a two-bed holiday home and the electricity bill is extortionate.
“I pay on average £300 a month. We used to pay about £130. It’s ridiculous. “We’ve had to cut back on buying clothes and eating out.”
Reg Russell , 86, a former Lloyds underwriter from Sidcup, London, said: “It really worries me when you hear people talking about the energy prices rising by five times as much and people going bankrupt. Our energy bill has gone up from £80 a month to £108 a month. It’s more than I ever paid for a mortgage. And it’s just going to keep going up.”
Toby Tulloch , 20, who is a drama student in London from Bournemouth, said he has spent four months looking for accommodation for next year but the rising cost of living has left him unable to secure an affordable property.
He said: “My electricity bill in my current student house has doubled already. He said: “Anything would be better than nothing and the government’s not doing anything at the moment.”
Nelson Ade , 55, an It worker, from Sidcup, southeast London said: “Everyone is worried about the cost of living. “I think the government should be doing more to help people. They’ve not done enough.”
“They should do what they need to do bring the prices down - if they’ve got the option to freeze the energy bills then they should.”
Chris Saunders , 51, of Barry, said: “This is affecting everyone I know - it is very bad. It can’t go up any more so I’m backing what the Mirror is campaigning for - please stop any more rises. I have electricity and it is such a shock to see the bills.”
Lin Llewellyn , 72, a retired carer, of Bridgend, said: “It is just going up and up - I’m looking at something like £4k for the next bill. Who can afford to keep on paying all these rises. I feel so sorry for many people.
“The Government really needs to do something to stop this getting even more out of hand.”
Lee Richards , 47, a mechanical engineer, of Bridgend, said: “I work nights so my energy bills should be quite low - but I’ve seen them go up from £150 a month to near-enough £600. When is it going to stop? It is no fair on hard-working people to see all their money being soaked up by these large companies.”
Siobhan Wheelhouse , 41, of Suffolk, said: “It is ridiculous - everyone can see that and feel what is going one. Things are getting absolutely out of hand and a lot of people won’t be able to cope. The Government needs to be doing a lot more and stop these rises.”
James Thurlow , 38, a carpenter, of Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd, said: “I have three children who are very busy all the times - and the energy bills for us are going to be very frightening. We are dreading the next one when it drops. Who know what it will be next? It is about time the Government did more to help us. This is a crisis.”
Brett Smith , 65, a delivery driver, of Barry, said: “My bills are going up to something like £6k a year - that is ridiculous. It bothers me and a lot of people I know. I’m only working part-time to keep me busy and didn’t expect to be paying all these bills going through the roof. Let’s get the Government to do more, please.”
Tony Roberts , 62, of Splott, Cardiff, said: “If you ask me my honest view then the Government are just taking the p*** out of ordinary people like us. I’ve even been onto my MP today about it. We are not asking for favours just to be treated properly and fairly. Just give us a break.”
Leon West , 47, a record producer from Caerphilly, said: “They say that we are only ever a few meals from people throwing stones in the street - and that has never been more true. There could be civil disorder unless they sort something out now. It is getting very critical and you can see why some people want nationalisation of the energy companies.”
Chris Baker , 33, a teacher, of Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, said: “Everyone can see that the Government should be doing more. Everyone is working hard to get by but far too much is going out on energy bills. Things in this country could get very nasty unless the powers-that-be sort out a solution.”
Chris Davies , 59, retired, and his wife Alison Davies , 58, a hospitality worker, of Llanelli, said: “We’ve been on a fixed bill but we are dreading the next bill - it is going to rocket. We have children and we are probably going to have to help them too - so it is a double-header for us. It is going to be a lot extra going out of the door every month.”
How energy bills could be frozen
£100billion loan scheme
Banks lend energy firms money to cover the surge in wholesale costs for up to two years, preventing the hikes from being passed on to customers.
To incentivise the banks, the taxpayer could act as guarantor. The cash could be paid back as add-on to bills but over the next 10 to 15 years.
Windfall tax hike, divert discount and cool inflation
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has set out plans to freeze energy bills for six months. To cover the near £29billion cost, Labour would change the windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas firms, including bringing forward the levy’s start date, and halting the £400 per household the Tories have pledged to give out.
Freezing bills would also take some out of the heat out of inflation, he says, saving the government £7billion in debt interest payments.
Renationalise energy firms
Ex-Labour PM Gordon Brown has said the price cap should be frozen and the government enter negotiations with energy firms to bring down prices.
He also called for energy firms to be renationalised as a “last resort” over soaring bills until “the crisis is over”.
