[ad_1]
When energy prices rise Natasha and Gary Waterhouse notice.
In the last four years their lives have been turned upside down.
Shortly after they were married Natasha had to have a tumour removed from her spinal column which damaged nerves and left her mobility compromised.
She had to stop working and, after trying to juggle employment and looking after his wife, Gary did too.
After 25 years in the civil service he left to become her full-time carer, sharing their house in Lincolnshire with three children, two of whom are still in education.
In place of joint salaries in excess of £50,000 they now rely on his carer’s allowance of £67-a-week and Universal Credit.
So when energy bills went up last year they felt it.
Natasha needs the house to be warm to prevent pain in her limbs, so their bills are high, but in the autumn they got higher, and worse is to come when the energy price cap increases, perhaps by as much as 50%, in April.
“We have to use an electricity metre and that has gone up to £120-£140 a month,” says Gary.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Why the energy price cap is ‘failing’ the UK
“But the biggest shock is gas. Our summer bill was around £33 a month but last month it was £190.”
How does he feel about a further increase when the energy price cap goes up in the spring?
“It’s daunting, totally unsustainable for us,” he said.
“I know people in a similar situation to ourselves who already can’t afford it so goodness knows what it is going to be like.”
“It stresses me out,” says Natasha.
“It’s getting to the stage now where you ask yourself, do I pay for food or do I pay for heat?
“What do you do? It’s a frightening prospect.
“I guess it’s going to be more for food than it is for heating…
[ad_2]
Source : skynews
