Trending
Campaign group urges Brits to stop paying their energy bills in protest of soaring costs
‘It can only work if we show the powers that be that we would not stand for being treated as cash cows’
Brits should boycott their energy bills this October in protest of the soaring costs, a campaign group has proposed this week.
As the cost of living crisis continues to take its toll, Don’t Pay UK is on a mission to get one million people to pledge to cancel their bills in a bid to force energy companies to reduce monthly costs.
The group says that if even a fraction of the million that they want on board agree to stop paying their energy bills, they will be able to bring companies to the negotiating table.
This comes after Ofgem announced the energy price cap will be updated every three months rather than every six months, as it warned that customers face a ‘very challenging winter ahead’.
Analysts at Cornwall Insight also predicted that the price cap is on track to rise to an astonishing £3,615 a year from January, adding further pressure on households.
In response to this, Don’t Pay UK has devised a three-step plan:
Build support.
The group is currently setting up email lists and is on TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and Twitter to spread its message. Zoom calls are also being organised, as are as in-person meet-ups. They are also printing flyers and stickers in a bid to bring people together.
A statement on the group’s website reads: “We’ll need people, organisations and community groups to do all of this too, building this up street by street, estate by estate and city by city.
“The first step is to get thousands of people like you to say you support the strike.”
Gather a million pledges.
Don’t Pay UK has stressed that the only way they can get their message across is by turning out in serious numbers to show energy companies that they have some power.
A statement reads: “One million sounds like a lot, but millions more will already be thinking about whether they’ll be able to pay come winter and afford the other things they need to survive for them and their families.
“Even more of us will be angry about paying more than double what we used to pay for the same amount we use. Let alone food, petrol and mortgages.”
Cancel direct debits if price increases go ahead.
If the government and energy companies have not reduced bills by October 1st, the group say they will take action by cancelling their direct debits. They hope that by everybody doing this on the same day, they will be able to send a strong message to energy companies.
Their website reads: “It can only work if we believe in each other and show the powers that be that we would not stand for being treated as cash cows.”
To read more about the Don’t Pay UK movement, visit the official website here.