Don’t Pay UK sees membership boost in South London

By Morgan Ofori

South Londoners are getting involved in a national campaign that is urging people to not pay their energy bills in response to rising costs.

Don’t Pay UK is a movement which aims to convince one million people to pledge to stop paying their bills on October 1.

The organisation said it is banking on the success of previous movements , such as when 18 million people did not pay Poll Tax, infamously introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s Government during the 1980s. 

The group feels that if enough people support this action then energy companies will be forced to lower their prices.

Energy prices are expected to remain at double their pre-crisis levels until at least 2024, with another increase in the price cap expected this autumn. 

Ofgem has already confirmed the cap will now be updated every three months, rather than every six, as it warned customers face “a very challenging winter ahead”.

One of the chapters, based in South-east London, is taking responsibility for spreading the word and organising meetings.

Daniel Sillman, 32 from Ennersdale Road, Hither Green, works in social care and specifically youth justice. He believes that something needs to be done about the increasing divisions between the very poor and wealthy.

Mr Sillman said: “The Catford area in particular is very impoverished and there is low quality of life. There are pockets of deprivation and nothing seems to be changing for those at the margins.

“This is an opportunity for people to get involved in their areas and feel part of a larger purpose. The issues they are facing in South London, will be issues facing people up and down the country.

“We aim to have as much of a presence in our communities as possible, whether that is via leaflets, door knocking, stickers, information stalls or word of mouth.”

Don’t Pay UK has a three-point plan of building support via social media mediums, gathering a million pledges and to persuade people to cancel direct debits if price hikes go ahead on October 1.

Similarly, Farah Ahmed, 32, from Queens Road, Peckham said she is scared because she feels her household and many others can no longer cut back without it severely impacting their health.

The Climate Justice advocate is also angry at what it feels are engineered attempts to make the consumer foot the bill for record profits.

Ms Ahmed said: “As renters, the quality of housing is already not very good. It is a common thing to live in conditions that are not best for your health.

“In South London, in particular, there is a big problem with air pollution, heat will ultimately harm more people.”

“This move to update the energy price cap to every three months instead of every six months was theoretically meant to stabilise the price, but it will make the price higher.

“I’ve lived in South East London for 13 years. The benefits of getting involved in Don’t Pay UK is the strength in solidarity and about collective action that will hold those in power to account. Most of us if not all can no longer cut back.”

Pictured top: Daniel Sillman, 32 from Ennersdale Road, Hither Green, is involved in the South East London chapter (Picture: Daniel Sillman)