Hospitals and schools fear staff cuts over soaring energy bills

‘Money is being diverted away from education and being given to energy companies’

Administrations of schools and hospitals have warned they may be forced to cut staff pay amid soaring energy bills in the country.

The national health service (NHS) confederation has said the bills they are paying this year are much higher than what the hospitals paid last year, something that leaves them with no option but to make up for it with cuts.

“The gap in funding from rising inflation will either have to be made up by fewer staff being employed, longer waiting times for care or other areas of patient care being cut back,” Rory Deighton, of the NHS Confederation, told The Mirror.

“The NHS needs at least £3.4bn to make up for inflation during this year alone. That’s before we face a winter of even higher wholesale energy prices,” he adds.

Schools are facing a similar dillema and may have to cut down work hours.

“Some of our members have reported rises of over 300%, the equivalent of several members of staff. Many are finding the only possible action they can take is to cut staff hours – in particular the hours of teaching assistants, who do incredibly valuable work supporting the most vulnerable and highest needs pupils,” Paul Whiteman, of school leaders’ union the NAHT, told the newspaper.

“Money is being diverted away from education and from pupils and being given to energy companies instead. That just isn’t right.”

Certain cuts in maintenance and other departments have already been put on schools as they try to save money to pay bills.

“The government’s neglect of school funding is now clear for all to see. A huge hike in energy bills will make a bad situation even worse,” Kevin Courtney, of the NEU, told the newspaper. “Heads who have already had to cut to the bone are facing impossible choices on staffing and supplies.”

However, there aren’t many positive signs from the prime minister or the leading candidate in the race to takeover, Liz Truss, for any relief to the institutions.

The situation is being compared to a national emergency as demand for electricity is expected to soar further with winters approaching.