‘I’m doing it out of principle’: five views on Don’t Pay UK campaign

theguardian.com:

More than 100,000 people have pledged to cancel their direct debit payments for gas and electricity from October in protest against rocketing energy prices, but charities are warning that such actions could push people into dangerous levels of debt.

Five people share their views on the Don’t Pay UK campaign, which launched in June, and explain why they will join the protest, or not.

Kayleigh, a hotel housekeeper from Milton Keynes, has signed up to the campaign in the hope that collective consumer action will force energy providers to lower people’s bills.

“I’m a working single mother of four. Back in January, I was forced to go on a variable tariff as I could not afford the new fixed rate Ovo were offering me. In April, my monthly bill shot up from £100 to £167. That’s already £802 more a year, and it will increase again in October. I simply won’t be able to pay it.

“So far, I have only been able to not go into debt because my energy account was in credit, but the winter will obviously eat that up. I will cancel my direct debit. I’d rather be in the scary position of not paying my bill than being unable to buy food and other necessities this winter.”

Kayleigh will put as much money as she can aside while her direct debit is suspended so that she will have money saved up to pay when she “absolutely must”.

“But I know my consumer rights. It would take a long time for a bailiff to come in, and I think that if enough people do it, it’ll cost the energy companies too much. I hope such action would result in lower bills for people. Friends have said they are going to do the same.”

Steven Johnson, a builder from the north-west of England with his own business, is also signed up to Don’t Pay UK. The 64-year-old says nothing will deter