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The world has officially gone mad. Not only is the credit crunch tightening people’s budgets and purchasing power, but heating bills are taking an increasing chunk of available income.Those from lower income backgrounds, particularly old people, are the ones who are especially at risk in terms of health. They are the ones who need to be able to stay warm the most in winter. But it is exactly these people who are increasingly struggling to heat their homes.

The concept of Renewable Energy has become a buzzword for energy companies and governments in the past decade. It is hyped up as the answer to all our troubles. You can save money and save the world at the same time - its just perfect. With this mantra on their lips, they win votes and build wind farms, supposedly for our benefit.

But the recent announcement by the UK government exposes that to be the swindle that it is. The “Renewable Heating Incentive” is a plan to build more wind turbines and solar panels to replace fossil fuel energy sources. But they’re not going to ask the energy companies to invest in these desperately needed energy sources. They are going to charge us, the taxpayer, to foot the bill! The plan aims to charge a levy to energy providers using fossil fuels. The big friendly energy company, however, is planning on paying for this cost by increasing home gas and electric costs.

Electricty prices increased by 26% over the last year, and gas prices by 59%. This meant that millions had to think twice about switching on their portable heaters. Going green has been touted as a way for people struggling to pay their bills to lower their costs. But this new legislation harms the poorest in society. Essentially what this will mean is that those with more secure and higher incomes will be the ones who can afford to switch to green energy sources for their homes. But if you can’t, and resort to using fan heaters or oil filled radiators to warm your house when the temperatures drop, you’ll be hit with higher energy bills. The same will be true even if you factor in the low interest loans scheme that is supposedly aimed at making it more affordable for people to go greener. If you’re already up to your neck in debts and worried about making rent next month, you’re hardly likely to take out a new loan, low interest or not. If the introduction of university student loans have taught us anything, its that offering low interest loans only make these schemes more appealing to the middle classes.

I ask you, is that right? To my mind it would be far more just, and sensible, to make sure that the money for such schemes comes out of the mega-profits made by these huge energy conglomerates.They could then use this significant sum to subsidise green refubishment on lower income houses, so that they can benefit from reduced heating bills. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this.