Winter is nigh, and pensioners are at risk as energy prices rocket | Harry Leslie Smith | Comment is free | theguardian.com

Winter is nigh, and pensioners are at risk as energy prices rocket | Harry Leslie Smith | Comment is free | theguardian.com

As the light in the tea-time sky grows less, autumn begins to uncoil itself over the land like an intemperate vagabond. Today, in the air I can smell the scant trail of smoke from the fires lit in the hearths of homes that are trying to keep the cold outdoors – despite the spiralling costs of energy. This inclement weather leads me on cat's paws to a winter that occurred, long ago during the Great Depression when I was a bairn and there was nowt to eat and nowt to heat. It was truly a time of discontent with more than 20 million people mired in enormous economic difficulties. The era was so desperate that I, along with other children from working class stock pinched coal from colliery slag heaps and hoped that those busted shards of fuel would burn the damp out of our dismal terraced houses.

Today, the living conditions of an average citizen are not as bleak as those that I experienced as a boy. However, for those who must contend with austerity on fixed wages or on a pension, the modern world is a harsh and unforgiving place. Moreover, this government and its support for big business over the ordinary consumer have pushed many economically vulnerable to the edge of the civilised state.

Perhaps one of the most distressing examples of corporate profit hubris is the increase in heating and electricity bills by four of the big six energy companies. This jump by almost 10% in the cost of heating one's home will cause enormous hardship to the elderly in this country who are for the most part not wealthy and struggle to keep up with the cost of living