The heat is on for all of us as fuel bills rocket
Inflation is now running at 6.2 per cent and the cost of living crisis is set to get worse as fuel and food bills soar.
Earlier this week I got my estimated gas bill for the next 12 months and it’s just over double the usual amount, coming in at a shocking £2,623. I’ll cope but for those on low incomes, finding another £1,000 plus will be impossible.
The situation brings into focus the importance of insulation and the message that Insulate Britain has been trying to hammer home.
While some will disagree with the group’s radical tactics, its aim to protect the planet while ending fuel poverty with a government led retrofit scheme is laudable.
Internal wall insulation is hugely effective in older, draughty homes. I’ve felt the difference in a friend’s home. She had the front elevation of her period terraced house insulated, which involved building a stud wall packed with insulation material.
You lose a few inches off the room but the difference it makes is remarkable. It always feels warm, even in the colder months. The rear of the house, which has no wall insulation, is much, much colder.
As ever, those who need it most can least afford it and would need full grants and the rest of us would also need a financial incentive but it would be a great longterm investment in reducing our reliance on gas and electricity.
For now, the Chancellor has cut VAT on insulation, solar panels and heat pumps from five per cent to zero. It’s a start but he could do better.
Sharon Dale,