Preston community centre boss tells national TV audience new energy price hike is ‘horrifying’

The Intact Centre, which has been a lifeline for low income families in Ingol and Tanterton since 1993, was featured on breakfast television today highlighting the likely effect of the upcoming price hike.

And CEO Denise Hartley told Good Morning Britain the prospect of the centre's energy bills rising to almost £2,000 a month was "horrifying."

"I'm really concerned," she said. "It's already costing Intact about £800 a month for our gas and electric. If it doubles that's going up to nearly £2,000 a month, which is horrifying for us.

"To continue to provide services and activities and support for families we need to be here for the community."

Asked if it could mean the centre having to close its doors, Denise added: "That's a horrifying prospect.

"How are people going to cope, how are they going to be able to manage to pay their bills?

"Local people are already struggling. The most fearful thing for myself is that when people are under so much pressure we have known people take their own lives."

Hassan Patel, who is a regular at Intact, told the programme he had an above-average energy use at home due to medical needs.

"It's really concerning as a family because we have to work really hard (to pay existing bills). It's going to be really, really tough.

"We are already petrified. I have a lot of medical issues that I need to use a lot of energy for. So it's going to be a huge struggle."