The New "Pandemic" of Energy Bills in the UK
September 1, 2022, 2:28 pm

Zara Saleh1

Since 2008, when the people of the UK had their first financial crisis, and after the Covid-19 pandemic in the last two years, Britain is facing yet another third crisis, of increased energy bills. In July, the temperature in the UK reached a peak of 41 degrees Celsius, and simultaneously with the heat, the Conservative government under Boris Johnsons leadership announced the expectant rise of electricity and gas bills by a shocking 80% from October 2022. In other words, people across the UK will face a catastrophic winter this year, and in the first three months of 2023, gas and electricity bills could reach to more than £5000 per year for each household, comparing to the last year’s average of £1,400.

As a result of such rise of energy bills, more than 24 million households in the UK who are on prepayment plans will be under the risk of financial crisis. The Tory government’s packet of £400 for the upcoming 6 months, as a family support for energy bills increasing, couldn't make a difference to the significant rise of energy charge. Boris Johnson's government has blamed the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the drop of pipeline imports from Russia as the main cause of such global energy crisis as a way to escape their responsibility. However, according to UK resources, only 15% of the UK gas import was from Russia. Consequently, there is a real concern, not only about the fact that the majority of households in Britain will not be able to pay their bills, but it will also affect all businesses and the cost of living as well.

Many of the people in the UK think that, in such a disaster of a rise of energy bills, the Tory government has failed to tackle this crisis. Additionally, the cost of living in the next upcoming months will be another serious problem for Britain. Both Tory candidates, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, are busy with their election campaign to become the Conservative leader and then the next UK Prime Minister without providing any new action plan to deal with the new "energy pandemic". There is no doubt that, as many of Britain believe, such crisis was a consequence of Boris Johnson's government policies. The election's result between Sunak and Truss could perhaps make no difference regarding tackling the energy crisis, as both candidates were part of Boris Johnson's government, who were behind such a catastrophic situation that the UK has not experienced in decades. On the other hand, many economic experts, and the Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, suggest that an action plan should take place in order to avoid such energy rises and the high cost of living. The option on freezing the price cap at the current prices level could be the best plan for now, and the government should fund such rises or cancel the rise of gas and electricity bills during this winter, in purpose for all households to get sufficient support.

BY: Zara Saleh

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”