The spectre of soaring energy prices has become a major concern for households across Edinburgh as the weather becomes colder.
Families are facing a steep increase in their energy prices due to supply and demand on the global wholesale market. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the latest contributor to record energy costs as the US, EU, and UK place restrictions on oil and gas imports from Russia, the world's largest natural gas exporter.
New Prime Minister Liz Truss has confirmed that an energy price cap freeze will be implemented on October 1 and run for two years. The energy price guarantee will cap the average energy bill to £2,500, after Ofgem announced the price cap would hit £3549, sparking fears of thousands of homes falling into fuel poverty.
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Edinburgh Live took to the streets of the capital to ask locals about the crisis and what action they would like to see taken.
Some Edinburgh locals appreciate that the energy price cap is intended to protect consumers. Danny Roatry stated that “anything that they can do to cap [the prices] can be a good thing I suppose.”
And Martin Pyper considered that “the cap has been useful because the energy prices aren’t going up as much.” However, both Danny and Martin also emphasised that paying so much for energy is frightening and that the rising energy price cap is not something that one can take lightly.
But many locals still declared their fears and frustrations with the price gap as well. This was especially true for students or those with large families to care for.
Student Praburam P. said that the rising price gap is affecting him a lot, as he “was initially paying to share a flat just to get by, and the cost of the flat just went up more pounds.”
Residents who have lived in Edinburgh for decades, such as Elena Foamente and Gavin Crichton, look towards the impending increase in the energy price cap with deep concern.
When asked if the increase would affect him financially, Gavin Crichton said: “Yes. It’s going to affect me financially like everybody else. I’m worried because I’m relatively lucky but a lot of people won’t be able to cope.
"It scares me that this is coming and that a crisis is looming and no one is doing anything about it. We’ll be choosing between heating homes and eating. And there should be no place for that in 21st century Scotland.”
Elena added: “This is about the wellbeing of a nation. The government should definitely help. We don’t want our nation to fall into hatred and disappointment.”
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