Keep Us Warm this Winter: Helping you cope with the winter ahead as fuel crisis hits

This newspaper is joining with its sister titles across JPIMedia this week to launch our campaign Keep Us Warm This Winter.
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As part of this, we will make sure you, our readers, have all the information you need about the fuel crisis, keep you up to date with developments and ways to ensure you can cope with the winter ahead.

We will put pressure on Government to ensure no vulnerable families find themselves without heating this winter and demand extra payments to those families to cover the excess heating charges.

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Around 15m UK households to face £178 annual energy bill hike
Keep Us Warm this WinterKeep Us Warm this Winter
Keep Us Warm this Winter
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We will work to help you find solutions to your individual concerns and put those concerns to our MPs/Government.

We will stand up for families in our communities as they face one of the toughest winters ever.

This week Boris Johnson warned that supermarket shelves could be empty for months due to food shortages.

Some people have already had to cope with their energy firms going bust, and others face an uncertain time wondering if theirs will be next.

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There is fear that spiralling fuel costs could plunge more people into fuel poverty, where the choice of eating or heating becomes a harsh reality for many more families.

Our foodbanks may face yet more pressure as a result, and there have been stark warnings about the potential for job losses at affected companies, a three-day week and shortages of food and even Covid booster vaccinations due to CO2 problems.

Horsham Matters, which runs the foodbank in the town, said it expected demand to soar.

Managing director Emma Elnaugh said: “The rise in fuel costs, coinciding with the end to furlough and the cut in Universal Credit, will be a tipping point for many and have a huge impact on those already struggling to feed their families.

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“Household budgets will be stretched to breaking point by the increase, and we expect demand for our services to soar at a time when we are already supporting more people than ever.

“Those who pay their fuel bills monthly or quarterly won’t qualify for fuel vouchers, leaving them with the stark choice of heating their homes or putting food on the table.”

She urged people to support foodbanks with donations, adding: “The winter will be harsh one for many, and we hope the community will come together to help us ease the hardship of others.”

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We want to know how it is affecting you, in our local communities.

- Are you already considering ways to reduce your fuel consumption ahead of a price hike?

- Are you stocking up on candles and planning ahead in case of a Christmas turkey shortage?

- Is your energy provider among those to have already gone bust, and how has it affected you?

Share your views, experiences and concerns with us at: [email protected]

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