Following the news, the anger across social media was immediately palpable.
“10 million families are spiralling into fuel poverty. Average bills could be £4,000 by January. Centrica has just announced its profits are up by 411%. Shell has doubled its profits. We can’t go on like this,” one user, Rachael Swindon, wrote. “I just sat down for five minutes for a coffee. Meantime Centrica made £25k profit. More than a lot of people earn in a year. #EnergyCrisis,” added another.
“UK – energy grid warning – energy will be ‘tight’ this winter. So not only will you be paying £500+ but you may not even get what you need. Thrilled for Shell and Centrica though, who have announced record profits this morning. ,” tweeted commentator Bernie Spofforth. And we have every right to be outraged. In October 2021, the average energy bill was £1,400. The last price cap increase, in April 2022, saw that rise to £2,000. By the end of the year, it’s predicted to reach close to £3,000.has also stressed that the poorest households are hit hardest, as the shortfall in people’s incomes to pay for vital essentials like food leaves them more vulnerable to inflation.