Commons Sense

National Energy Action estimates that shockingly four million people were in fuel poverty in the UK at the start of October last year, warning that this will rise to a total of six million when the price cap increases again in April.

No one should have to choose between eating and heating!

Indeed, cold homes can have a dramatic impact on the health of those living in them, with a whole host of consequences, including respiratory issues, circulatory problems, mental health effects and it is even linked to stunted development in young people.

Three factors contribute to fuel poverty: household income, household energy efficiency and fuel prices.

So to improve this dire situation, more must be done to target these factors. Unfortunately, I believe the Government is falling short when it comes to addressing all three.

The Tories have cut Universal

Credit and are imposing National Insurance and council tax rises in April, just as the energy price cap increases!

On energy efficiency, through its abolition of the zero-carbon home standard and its mishandling of the green deal and green homes grant, the Government has failed to make enough of our homes warm and wellinsulated. On fuel prices, the Government has failed to invest sufficiently in renewables, while foolishly getting rid of gas storage facilities, thereby leaving us uniquely exposed to global price shocks.

It has also failed to regulate energy companies properly, leaving households at risk to the costs of their collapse.

I believe we need urgent action to address the resulting crisis.

I support increasing the annual £140 Warm Home Discount to £400 and expanding its eligibility to over nine million low to middle income households.

In addition, we should remove VAT on energy bills and smooth the costs of supplier failure, saving most households around £200 and those most in need would receive around £600 off their bills in total.

These measures would last for one year from April and would be paid via a windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas producers. In the longer term, I support action to keep energy bills low by accelerating home-grown renewables and nuclear, and making sure 19 million homes are warm and well-insulated.

I fully recognise how important it is to urgently address this issue for those living in fuel poverty and the major public health threat that it represents.