Families are having to make tough cost-saving decisions. PA
Families are having to make tough cost-saving decisions. PA
Families are having to make tough cost-saving decisions. PA
Families are having to make tough cost-saving decisions. PA


Britons should not be having to worry about heating their homes


  • English
  • Arabic

June 02, 2022

Jonathan Brearley, the chief executive of Ofgem, the UK’s energy regulatory body, recently announced that his organisation is expecting an energy price cap of £2,800 in October, an increase from the current £1,971. Adam Scorer, chief executive of charity National Energy Action, said the predicted rise will "strike terror into the hearts of millions of people who are already unable to heat their homes".

European countries obtain approximately 40 per cent of their gas directly from Russia, while the UK imports less than 5 per cent of its gas from Russia, but its prices are nonetheless influenced by fluctuations in global markets. The UK also imports approximately 8 per cent of its oil from Russia, amounting to £4 billion in 2021. These prices have soared as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Western governments’ subsequent economic ordeals. In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that “unfriendly countries” pay for their gas in roubles from Russian accounts to avoid having their supplies cut off. Gas deliveries have already been suspended to Finland for their refusals to pay in the currency.

It is not just energy prices that have risen exponentially, but food prices, too. Ukraine is the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil and is also a major producer of maize and wheat. The UN Food Prices Index, which measures the average prices of staple foods, reported that food prices are at their highest in 60 years, when records began.

East End resident Rachel who was diagnosed with cancer and who also cares for her severely disabled son with a spinal injury is struggling with the cost of food. She said: “How are we supposed to eat with food costs rising not by a penny but by 80 per cent? We are eating the bare minimum and living on basic food, which affects my health and that of my son. Luckily it's summer so I don’t use the lights. In the late evening I don’t turn on the lights and if I watch TV I use that as the light. I’m charging up my key meter to over £120 a month for me and my son – and that’s just electricity. I’m paying more for gas because I need to keep warm, even in the summer, due to our medical problems. I can’t bear to think how we are going to keep warm when the cold weather arrives.”

The UK's prime minister, Boris Johnson, is facing calls to step down over the "partygate" scandal. Reuters
The UK's prime minister, Boris Johnson, is facing calls to step down over the "partygate" scandal. Reuters

Rachel and her son are just one of many thousands of families across the UK who cannot afford to eat. A survey by YouGov, a leading pollster, suggests that of the 10,674 adults questioned, one in seven were living in homes where people have skipped meals or reduced sizes due to expense. The Office for National Statistics reported that almost 90 per cent of households stated that their cost of living had increased in March as a result of rises in fuel, food and borrowing costs.

The cost of living crisis is all about survival. Millions of households have been plunged into debt, leaving many at risk of losing their homes and livelihoods, and affecting their mental and physical wellbeing. Dr Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians said: “The cost of living crisis has barely begun, so the fact that one in two are already experiencing worsening health should sound alarm bells, especially at a time when our health service is under more pressure than ever before.”

Earlier this month, Tory MP Lee Anderson – who earns £84,144 – said he had proven that people can make meals for 30 pence, demeaning the struggles of British families. Boris Johnson’s Government has been heavily criticised by all sides of the political spectrum, including some Tory MPs, for his catastrophic failure to address the escalating cost of living in the UK.

The question is why should a family in Britain go to such lengths to survive when the Conservative government breaks Covid-19 rules that they created, while lecturing poor families to live within their means?

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer visits a food bank in Glasgow. Getty
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer visits a food bank in Glasgow. Getty

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey was the first party leader to call for a windfall tax on oil and gas companies over seven months ago, demanding that their excess profits help vulnerable people with spiralling energy bills. Even Tory MP Julian Knight said the Prime Minister needs to “wake up” and listen to his party on tackling the rising cost of energy. Engulfed in its own “partygate” Covid-19 rule-breaking saga, the Prime Minister and his Chancellor scrambled to announce a new package of emergency measures on Thursday, which intends to target pensioners, the poorest and the “squeezed middle” households.

The UK’s increasing cost of living crisis has been caused by multiple issues occurring simultaneously, including Brexit, Covid-19, the Ukraine crisis, rising taxes and inflation, all of which have impacted the price of essential items and services pushing people into poverty.

They say that we should look for opportunities out of crises. It's time for the UK Government to stop doing so. It is time to look for opportunities to take our struggling children and young people, our families, our older citizens and all our communities out of this fear of whether we turn the lights on or not, whether we keep warm and what we eat. To the UK government I say: “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.

LEADERBOARD
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Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci
Pushkin Press

School counsellors on mental well-being

Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.

Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.

Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.

“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.

“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.

“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.

“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”

Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.

The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.

At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.

“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.

“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.

"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”

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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

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Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

List of alleged parties

 

May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff 

May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'

Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff 

Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 

Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party

Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters 

Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz 

Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 

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Miss Granny

Director: Joyce Bernal

Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa

3/5

(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group H

Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)

PRISCILLA
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Updated: June 02, 2022, 9:00 AM