Older people are “frightened” of what the latest electricity and heating price increases coming down the tracks this winter will mean for them, Age Action has revealed.
The charity has also calculated the cost of living crisis has already slashed the spending power of a pensioner by €600 this year, or €1,100 for a couple. Meanwhile, annual average electricity bills are clocking in at €900 more this year than last year, with gas bills up €800.
It means that older people “just can’t cope” anymore, the organisation said. Age Action said last winter our elderly were already going to bed early, getting up late, only heating one room and leaving the heat off altogether in the battle to beat the rising cost of living and soaring fuel prices.
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And this is likely to get worse this winter after the energy regulator announced it wants energy companies to up their prices for what they call the “rush hours” between 5pm and 7pm.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities hopes the higher prices at these times will encourage people to cut back, reducing pressure on the national grid during the peak hours.
It is estimated the new tariffs the CRU are proposing will cost the average household an extra €26 a year.
They want people to change their behaviour and electricity consumption or there may have to be blackouts. However, Age Action has pointed out that so many older people can’t cut back on energy during the evenings.
These include people who rely on medical equipment and others who really need their homes warm as the sun goes down in the evenings after 5pm during the winter.
The CRU has opened a consultation process where it is looking for the energy companies and others to give their opinions.
But this will only last two weeks and the regulator wants to press ahead with new prices from October 1st. Celine Clarke, head of advocacy and communications with Age Action Ireland, told RTE’s News at One about her concerns for older people this coming winter.
She said: “Older persons are going to have a fright again because they are already seeing the spending power of the full rate of the State pension reduced significantly this year.
“We know already that people are reducing the heating in their home.
“It’s fine in the summer, but last year we saw pre-budget a lot of people coming forward saying they were not heating their home, their whole home, maybe only heating one room in their home, going to bed early, staying in bed longer, trying to go other places to stay warm.”
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