Harrods, Scottish Power and the British Museum were targeted as protesters occupied buildings across the UK as part of a campaign against rising energy bills and fuel poverty.
Shopping centres around the country were occupied, along with some bank branches and an energy firm HQ.
A series of “warm-ups” were held by members of Don’t Pay UK, Fuel Poverty Action, Just Stop Oil and dozens of other groups, in which people were invited to go to public buildings to keep warm as a group.
Protesters bedded down with blankets, sleeping bags and hot water bottles in the foyer of Scottish Power’s Glasgow headquarters at 9am.
Another group occupied the British Museum’s great hall – the largest indoor public square in Europe – to draw attention to the museum’s sponsorship links with oil firm BP.
Just Stop Oil members briefly occupied beds and sofas at Harrods department store in central London, before being escorted out of the store by around 20 security guards, the group said.
They held signs saying “Just stop oil, just start insulation”, “Just stop fuel poverty” and “oil equals death”.
Venues for other warm-ups included shopping centres in Stratford, Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton and Bristol, and a Barclays bank branch in Hastings where campaigners will draw attention to the bank’s investment in fossil fuels.
Cardiff, Guildford, Huddersfield, Birmingham, Norwich, Manchester, Stroud, Portsmouth, and Stoke On Trent were also among the centres expected to see warm-ups.
Analysis by End Fuel Poverty Coalition found that Stoke On Trent is one of the areas most affected by fuel poverty, and people there were offered a warm space and advice on how to deal with rising fuel costs at Fenton Town Hall.
‘The average is 90p an hour to have the heating on – how many lots of 90p can we afford?’
Laura Carter, 35, from the city’s Mothers Support Network, was in tears as she told Sky News’s Midlands correspondent Lisa Dowd that she had taken on a second job to cover her bills.
“I read the other day that the average was 90p an hour to have the heating on,” she said, adding that she and others sit at home and try to work out how many lots of 90p they can afford.
“It’s incredibly hard.
“We are so privileged – I can get extra work, my husband can do overtime, but so many families can’t.”
Artist Grega Greaves said: “I’ve not had the heating on at all yet, and it’s already double the amount I’d normally pay – just the lights, stuff like that.
“You think if you did put the heating on it’s going to be sky-high, then it’s a case of ‘do I eat or put the radiators on?’ and I’d rather eat.”
Father of two Keith Feeney, 47, said that he was having to borrow money from family and friends to keep up with his bills.
“I’ve been saving though the summer to make it last through the winter, but it’s going down that quick… and that’s not having it (the heating) on all the time – just half an hour in the morning, half an hour at night.”
What are the groups demanding?
The campaign groups are demanding the government immediately tackle the energy and cost of living crisis by introducing Energy For All – a “universal, free band of energy to cover people’s necessities”.
This would be paid for by “ending all public money subsidising fossil fuels, a more effective windfall tax on energy companies and higher tariffs on luxury household energy use”, they said.
‘We’re coming together to fight back’
Millions of households are receiving payments of hundreds of pounds from the government to help with the crisis over winter, but campaigners say this does not go far enough.
Neil Smith is a spokesperson for Don’t Pay UK, which has encouraged people to cancel their energy bill direct debits as costs rise.
He said: “No one should go cold in winter, yet what we’re seeing is a mass default on these extortionate energy bills and thousands set to freeze in their homes.
“While the government stands by, we’re coming together in our communities to fight back and keep each other warm.”
‘Ordinary people being allowed to starve’
Stuart Bretherton, Fuel Poverty Action campaign coordinator, said: “Ordinary people cannot keep footing the bill for crises created by the wealthy, it’s time for the big polluters and profiteers to pay their share.
“Through this, we could also incentivise much needed climate action on home insulation and a transition to renewables.”
A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said: “This government is allowing ordinary people to starve and freeze this winter as greedy energy companies squeeze every last penny out of us.
“The health service is in crisis, workers’ wages are being squeezed, and nurses are using food banks. Austerity is a political choice, and the cost of living crisis is an unprovoked attack on ordinary people.
“Worse still, rocketing energy prices are funding the companies who are torching the climate.”
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Government: ‘Improving energy efficiency of homes is best long-term way of tackling fuel poverty’
A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “We understand this is a difficult time for families across the country.
“Improving the energy efficiency of homes is the best long-term method of tackling fuel poverty, and that is why we have committed substantial funding to upgrade housing and install measures in households who have previously not been able to access support.
“This comes in addition to an unprecedented package of government support that is helping households meet their energy costs this winter, including the Energy Price Guarantee, saving a typical household over £900, the Energy Bills Support Scheme providing a £400 discount to millions and the most vulnerable receiving £1,200 each this year.”
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