Page 34 - Londra Gazete Sayı 1104

Londra Gazete, 05 May 2022 LondraGazete.com/English 7

Energy firms face deadline in

review of direct debit hikes

SOME energy suppliers have
been given a three-week deadline
to explain accusations they have
increased customers' direct debit
payments by "more than is neces-
sary".
Jonathan Brearley, boss of the
energy regulator Ofgem, recently
said there were "troubling signs"
of the tactic.
Gardeners urged to let lawns go customers being directed to inap-
He also expressed concern over

wild to boost nature propriate deals.
Official reviews have now been
GARDENERS are being encour- those who participated in its cam- launched.
aged to let their lawns grow wild in paign last year reported the growth Mr Brearley had said in April
May as part of a campaign to pro- of more than 250 plant species on that reviews were imminent, but
mote biodiversity. their lawns. the development emerged from
Conservation charity Plantlife is The charity is also urging people to an update published on Twit-
urging people to leave their lawn- take part in its Every Flower Counts ter by Business Secretary Kwasi
mowers in the shed for a month and survey at the end of May, to build a Kwarteng.
to let wild flowers grow instead. picture of what's been growing in the Mr Kwarteng said that some
It is also asking people to count UK's lawns. energy companies had been in-
the flowers that do grow, and record Respondents last year counted creasing direct debits beyond
them as part of its No Mow May pro- over 465,000 flowers including al- what was required. However, by reviewing the is- families struggling with rising
ject. most a quarter of a million daisies, "I can confirm Ofgem has today sue, Ofgem has yet to draw a firm fuel and energy bills.
Leaving the grass uncut will create it says. issued compliance reviews," Mr conclusion on whether any rules Opposition parties have called
a habitat that will benefit bees and Longer term, the charity recom- Kwarteng's tweet went on. have been broken. for a windfall tax on energy com-
other insects, the organisation says. mends a "layered approach", with "The regulator will not hesitate Prime Minister Boris Johnson pany profits, with Labour accus-
Plantlife says lawns could be biodi- shorter grass and longer grass living to swiftly enforce compliance, in- had earlier acknowledged "there ing him of offering "no answers"
versity hotspots if left alone. It says side by side. cluding issuing substantial fines." is more that we can do" to help to a "cost of living crisis".