It has been suggested that on average U.K. households have saved more than \u00a37,000 during the coronavirus period. But averages are deeply misleading. I am aware of households where that is just the cost of a summer holiday.<\/p>\n
And there are also many households where there have been no savings at all. The exact opposite, in fact. As the Guardian<\/a> reports this morning:<\/p>\n More than half a million households have fallen behind on their energy bills since February, taking the total number of billpayers in arrears to more than 2 million, according to Citizens Advice.<\/p>\n The consumer charity said an extra 600,000 households owed payments to their energy suppliers, with the coronavirus outbreak leading to record high redundancies<\/a> this year.<\/p>\n On average, billpayers who have fallen behind on their payments owe their energy suppliers about \u00a3760 for electricity and \u00a3605 for gas, according to Citizens Advice.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And remember, this period does not include a winter. It is thought that one in four households will struggle with fuel bills in coming months.<\/p>\n This is the reality of 2020 for many. It has been a desperate struggle.<\/p>\n 2021 will be worse. There will be winter bills to pay. There will be fewer jobs. There will be a down turn. The government is intent on cuts. So far, the plan to cut Universal Credit remains in place.<\/p>\n And people will become ever more desperate.<\/p>\n But I hear nothing of what the government is going to do about that.<\/p>\n And yet it does have time to talk about.how to make the UK a more effective tax haven.<\/a><\/p>\n As evidence of misplaced priorities that is sickening.<\/p>\n And the reality is that there need be no shortage of money to help those \u00a0in need. But conceited economists, safe with their large incomes earned in service to the status quo, say otherwise<\/a>.<\/p>\n And you wonder why I am angry?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"