Stories

Thu, 22 Oct 2026

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 'I can't afford to heat my home on my pension'

Teresa Goubert says heating is "very expensive" and she was struggling on her pension.

* Teresa Goubert, a pensioner from Guernsey, said she cannot afford to heat her home on her pension and is using hot water bottles and extra layers for warmth.
* The States has proposed a 19% increase in the means-tested winter fuel allowance to £50.48 a week, which will be debated in November.
* Pensioners say that the current allowance is not enough to cover their heating costs, with some saying they have to choose between heating or eating.
* Islander Katina Jones said she and her husband waited as long as possible before turning on their heating this winter, using hot water bottles instead.
* Sheila Cornelius from an over-55 housing development said that most of her money goes towards heating, but she has thick clothes to wear for warmth.
* Gareth Wordingham from Guernsey Electricity said the company buys electricity in advance and tries to smooth out price fluctuations for customers.
* Nick Crolla from Rubis Channel Islands said energy prices have increased by up to 30% since August and that customers can talk to them about payment options to help with volatile oil prices.