Parents turn off heating to feed kids

New figures show how fuel poverty is rising

One in four families are having to turn off their heating to afford to feed their children due to rises in energy bills.

A survey conducted by the Energy Bill Revolution campaign has revealed the startling figure, along with others that highlight just how much fuel poverty in the UK is rising. According to the results, 45% of adults are using blankets and extra layers to keep warm, and nearly half of parents are turning the heating off whilst their children are out. Another shocking figure shows that a fifth of parents claim their children have been getting ill more regularly due to living in a colder house.

The cost of heating is starting to get too much for many families

(Image source - Metro)

The survey was aimed at 1000 members of the Netmums website, with 88% of them stating they more concerned with energy bills now than they were last year. Sally Russell, the founder of Netmums, said 'With almost nine in 10 families now rationing energy use due to spiralling prices, this signals a new winter of discontent for British families.'

Fuel poverty is an issue that has started to affect more and more people and is something Home Reheat has regularly discussed, with recent articles looking at how nearly 300,000 homes will be dragged into fuel poverty this winter and how elderly people will be hit the worst. 

Fuel poverty set to rise

‘Inadequate’ Government policies blamed for increase in households struggling to pay bills

Christmas will be a difficult time for a lot of families as reports suggest another 300,000 households will be plunged into fuel poverty following recent price rises.

The independent Fuel Poverty Advisory Group has warned that nine million homes could be hit by fuel poverty by 2016 and have blamed the Coalition government for doing very little to ‘soften the blow’ of initiatives such as implementing green measures, which could add nearly £100 to the average energy bill, and getting firms to insulate the roofs of poorer customers’ homes, which will add another £100. With these measures, along with the recent price increases from the major energy companies, the average annual energy bill will be around £1,365.

More and more people are struggling to pay the bills to keep their homes warm

(Image source - The Mirror)

A policy announced by the Government which will limit the amount of tariffs energy companies can have and will force companies to offer customers the cheapest tariff has been criticised, as many believe it will actually cause prices to rise because it will effectively end competition for cheap deals and will stop customers switching tariffs regularly.

It has previously been suggested that nearly 90% of people will ‘ration’ their energy this Christmas in an attempt to save money, with elderly people more likely to do so, and more likely to suffer because of it. This Christmas, it is feared that fuel poverty will be directly responsible for over 2000 ‘excess winter deaths’, with that figure looking increasingly likely to rise as winters get colder and prices get higher.

Winter is coming!

Temperatures set to hit 100-year low

You may have already noticed when you went to work this morning with three layers on and spent 20 minutes trying to defrost the car, but winter is here.

Temperatures have plummeted this week and are set to drop even further throughout December, with temperatures estimated at minus 3C in many places, and even as low as minus 20C in some northern areas. 

As has been in case during the last few winters, there are fears of snow blizzards closing roads and train lines, causing chaos for travellers during the festive period. Experts have also expressed concerns that the torrential rain, that has devastated many areas of Britain this week, will return early next month, hampering recovery efforts of those who have been flooded.

Snow has already hit mountainous areas, and could be on its way to the rest of us

(Image Source - The Daily Mail)

So, with temperatures dropping, now would be the time to crank up the heating. But many people are set to go without heating for extending periods over winter due to the increases in energy bills. If only there was a way to utilise and make the most of all of the heating you pay for…

Luckily, there is!

Our innovative Home Reheater recycles the warm air in your home (particularly the heat trapped in your ceiling as it naturally rises) and recirculates it back down to the rest of the room. This allows you to turn your heating down to a lower temperature and still stay warm, as the entire room will remain at one constant temperature, instead of the ceiling being the warmest, as is currently the case in homes across the country.

So there are three options this winter; turn your heating up and face the costs in the New Year, turn it off and stay horribly cold all Christmas, or invest in a Home Reheater and stay happily warm, whilst reducing your heating bill at the same time. Surely the answer is obvious?

Go to our website now and look at the 16 different designs available to find the one that suits your home. With its simple installation process your product will be up and running and saving you money in no time. And at a cost of just £39.95 it is a cheaper alternative to paying over the odds for heating that you'll only waste as it rises to the ceiling.

So stay warm and get your own back this Christmas with