Jesmond residents plan on “saving in all ways possible”, including improving their home insulation with “old socks and dirty tops”, and being forced to work more to help reduce spend on rising energy prices.

The wholesale price of gas and electricity has rapidly increased in the past year due to an accumulation of events, including supply issues, the war in Ukraine and post-pandemic demand.

Students from Newcastle and Northumbria University have told JesmondLocal that they are struggling massively to pay “outrageous energy bills”, which is ultimately affecting their mental health as well as their studies.

Students hit with shocking energy price rises

Newcastle University student, Joe Anderson, who lives on Queen’s Terrace with six others, has been forced to take up more part-time work due to his energy bills increasing significantly – which he admits is affecting his university work. The 21-year-old journalism student said that he plans on “saving in all ways possible” to help with the cost of living and admits he is struggling mentally to balance work-life whilst staying committed to his final year at university.

The student told JesmondLocal: “We were all shocked, we already had a price rise but I’ve not seen anyone’s bill as high as this. We were told that because we haven’t been in our house for over a year they are using an estimation, the estimation says we will be using nearly £8,000 worth of energy in a year.”

Anderson said that his bill had increased from £49 per month to £140, an increase of 185%.

“It’s a disgrace, everyday working people cannot cope,” he said. “I can’t ask my parents for help as they are struggling for themselves. We don’t have our heating on in our house, we are cold but we are still paying a stupid amount.

“We’re now using old socks and dirty tops to cover gaps and cracks in doors all around the house. It’s embarrassing but we feel like we have to”.

The student added that he is in the process of contacting student advice about supporting his financial and mental struggles, but there has been no help so far.

Northumbria University student, Yasmin Mercury, has also spoken to JesmondLocal about receiving substantially high energy bills. The 20-year-old computer science student, who lives on Tavistock Road in West Jesmond with two other students, admitted she has had to get urgent hardship funding from her university after her bills doubled from £50 per month to £100.

“I don’t know how to cope, I’m a care leaver and also disabled,” she said.

“Landlords are increasing prices too nowadays. It’s really difficult at the moment, I’m currently forcing myself to use as little energy as possible”.

The student added that she is trying to balance her university work as well as her job as a carer, admitting that it’s extremely tough.

Tony Waterston, Green Party member, said: “Firstly, it’s extraordinary we’re not getting an appropriate level of help from the government, it is rough for individuals to have to take the brunt of bringing about change themselves.”

Waterson added: “There is a lot they can do to reduce their spend. The first step is house insulation – you obviously have to put some money into it, but a lot of these are low cost measures such as: thermal lining to curtains, double glazing, floor/loft insulation and sealing doors.”

He encouraged students to take action to reduce their bills.

“I’d say to students they should unite together and really be putting in demands to their landlords about having their houses properly insulated as this will impact rent.”

The Green Party currently host their monthly meeting online and encourage students to come along. 

However, Gerry Keating, North Jesmond Liberal Democrat councillor, believes that councils no longer have the power they used to have.

“The jurisdiction of councils has been hugely reduced during the last 75 years, I was first elected in 1981 but the situation has since changed,” he said.

It was recently reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that UK households were the worst hit in Western Europe in amid the current energy crisis. IMF assessed the impact of the ongoing living crisis expected to take place within 2022 and found that the average UK household is expected to lose nearly 8.3% of its spending power, as a consequence of having to pay higher energy bills.

A significant problem is that the majority of houses in Jesmond are terraces that were built during the 1900s, thus are extremely leaky as they have not been insulated thoroughly. This has led to homeowners using more thermal energy than normal – which has increased their energy bills.