Revealed: The Aussie Suburbs Affected By Energy Poverty
As switched-on energy customers would know, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has met with energy retailers several times this year in an effort to bring down power prices.
The retailers agreed to contact over 2 million customers who are not receiving a discount to inform them by the end of 2017 that there are better deals out there. Did you receive a letter?
This week we learnt that about 42,000 Aussie households are living in energy poverty, spending up to 12% of their income on energy costs.
This includes about 10,000 low-income families in the western Sydney suburbs of Fairfield and Liverpool. Energy poverty hot spots in Melbourne include about 9700 families in the city’s north at Hume and the southeast at Dandenong. In Brisbane, the impact is clustered around Logan to the south of the city, affecting 3700 families. In Perth about 3000 families, centred on Gosnells, are affected. And in Adelaide, the impact is on about 2400 families around Salisbury.
Retailers also promised to move towards providing monthly bills, rather than on a quarterly basis.
As we reported previously, some over 50’s are foregoing medical appointments and even meals to be able to afford the power bill. These people have this week been described as living in “energy poverty” by demographer Bernard Salt.
Reporting in the Australian, Mr Salt was able to compare data from the Household Expenditure Survey and the 2016 Census. He identified other sectors of the community in trouble, large, low-income households, pensioners and indigenous Australians.
So what can be done to help these families? Firstly, making sure they have access to retailer hardship programs but also educating them on understanding where costs are escalating quickest.
Many news articles are advising consumers to take matters into your own hands by shopping around and switching providers at least once a year.
New analysis by financial comparison website Mozo has revealed more fixed-rate energy plans — similar to fixed-rate home loans — are trickling on to the market and retailers argue these offers will save customers cash and prevent them being hit by imminent price hikes.
Mozo spokeswoman Kirsty Lamont told news.com.au that “energy retailers are scared” customers are going to go elsewhere for a cheaper deal, so fixed-rate deals lock them in and ensure they don’t jump ship.
So where are the energy poverty hotspots? In Sydney they are located in the western Sydney suburbs of Fairfield and Liverpool.
In Melbourne there are about 9700 families in the city’s north at Hume and the southeast at Dandenong.
In Brisbane, the impact is clustered around Logan to the south of the city, affecting 3700 families. In Perth about 3000 families, centred on Gosnells, are affected. And in Adelaide, the impact is on about 2400 families around Salisbury.
Are you suffering from energy poverty? Tell us your story below
You can see the exclusive members only offer here
Click here to listen to the interview with Kirsty Lamont from Mozo.com.au
