The family silver?
The privatisation of the UK’s public utilities has caused a colossal transfer of money from ordinary families to the already-rich.
CLICK HERE
The family silver?
The privatisation of the UK’s public utilities has caused a colossal transfer of money from ordinary families to the already-rich.
FIND OUT MORE
The family silver?
The privatisation of the UK’s public utilities has caused a colossal transfer of money from ordinary families to the already-rich.
CLICK HERE
Explore Further
Dividends? What are they, and who is paying them?
Dividends are the money that private companies give to their shareholders every year. This could come from the profits they get from their customers, or it could be money they have borrowed on the open market.
Borrowed? How does that work?
In much the same period the water companies borrowed about £52 billion, which is not far short of the dividends they have paid. The interest they pay on this borrowing adds about 20% to customer bills.
So how do they pay to upgrade in the water and sewage system?
This comes straight out of our water bills. Over the period the companies spent £123 billion of our money on upgrading systems.
So what’s the big takeaway from this saga?
The purpose of water, energy and other essential infrastructure is to provide a service to the public. The higher the quality of that service, the more public wealth is created. But when the primary purpose is to accumulate money (which is what private companies are supposed to do) the quality of the service will inevitably suffer and the public wealth will diminish, too.
Dividends? What are they, and who is paying them?
Dividends are the money that private companies give to their shareholders every year. This could come from the profits they get from their customers, or it could be money they have borrowed on the open market.
Borrowed? How does that work?
In much the same period the water companies borrowed about £52 billion, which is not far short of the dividends they have paid. The interest they pay on this borrowing adds about 20% to customer bills.
So how do they pay to upgrade in the water and sewage system?
This comes straight out of our water bills. Over the period the companies spent £123 billion of our money on upgrading systems.
So what’s the big takeaway from this saga?
The purpose of water, energy and other essential infrastructure is to provide a service to the public. The higher the quality of that service, the more public wealth is created. But when the primary purpose is to accumulate money (which is what private companies are supposed to do) the quality of the service will inevitably suffer and the public wealth will diminish, too.
Dividends? What are they, and who is paying them?
Dividends are the money that private companies give to their shareholders every year. This could come from the profits they get from their customers, or it could be money they have borrowed on the open market.
Borrowed? How does that work?
In much the same period the water companies borrowed about £52 billion, which is not far short of the dividends they have paid. The interest they pay on this borrowing adds about 20% to customer bills.
So how do they pay to upgrade in the water and sewage system?
This comes straight out of our water bills. Over the period the companies spent £123 billion of our money on upgrading systems.
So what’s the big takeaway from this saga?
The purpose of water, energy and other essential infrastructure is to provide a service to the public. The higher the quality of that service, the more public wealth is created. But when the primary purpose is to accumulate money (which is what private companies are supposed to do) the quality of the service will inevitably suffer and the public wealth will diminish, too.