August 4, 2017 12.06 pm This story is over 79 months old

Rosanne Kirk: Energy price rises forcing families to choose between food and heat

When I heard that British Gas had decided to raise its energy prices by more than 12% I was shocked, and more than a little disappointed to learn that a company which makes hundreds of millions of pounds profit every year feels the need to exploit its customers. Fuel poverty is becoming more common across…
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When I heard that British Gas had decided to raise its energy prices by more than 12% I was shocked, and more than a little disappointed to learn that a company which makes hundreds of millions of pounds profit every year feels the need to exploit its customers.

Fuel poverty is becoming more common across the country, and it’s something that I see regularly in my role as a city councillor in Lincoln.

People who are forced to make the choice between feeding their family and heating their homes this winter are only going to be put in a worse situation because of this news.

The positive message surrounding this news is that people still have the choice and can change if they are not happy with their current energy suppliers.

At City of Lincoln Council we are part of a programme called the Lincolnshire Energy Switch, which uses collective buying power to get the best energy prices for the county’s residents.

If you sign up to the switch, the city council along with the other districts in Lincolnshire, will go to an energy provider on behalf of everyone signed up and negotiate the best possible price.

All the resident has to do is get in touch with us and provide some details, we will take care of the rest.

I’ve signed up to the scheme myself and have saved a good amount of money since doing so, so I would happily recommend it to anyone.

If you want to find out more about the Lincolnshire Energy Switch, the next programme starts on Tuesday, August 8 and will run until October 9, and you can call 0800 0488439 or visit the website here.

If you are a British Gas customer, or are with a different supplier and concerned about your energy prices, I would strongly recommend finding out more about the Lincolnshire Energy Switch.

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Councillor Rosanne Kirk is the Portfolio Holder for Social Inclusion and Community Cohesion on City of Lincoln Council