Mature Times - Fuel poverty

Urgent support needed to help households cope with energy price hikes

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:08:53 +0000

As the weather begins to bite, the government could immediately help 1.6 million households cope with this year’s unprecedented rises in energy prices through extending the use of winter fuel payments, Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, said today.

Fuel poverty - Government wins legal argument, but not moral one

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:29:04 +0100

The High Court has ruled that the Government has not broken the law by failing to keep homes warm, despite allowing the number of households in fuel poverty to reach the highest level in ten years.

Energy - crisis action needed

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:34:02 +0100

Britain’s leading campaigners for older people are warning that millions face a heating crisis this winter unless radical action is taken.

One organisation is demanding that some of the billions of pounds of additional revenue now coming into the Government’s coffers through rising energy prices are allocated to stop people falling further into debt this winter or, worse, suffer hypothermia.

Government faces day in court over fuel poverty failure

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:30:40 +0100

This coming Monday (6 October) will see the Government in Court defending its failed strategy on eradicting fuel poverty.

British Gas pile on the pain with 35% price hike

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:50:26 +0100

Consumers have been dealt another hammer blow today as British Gas, Britain’s biggest energy supplier, announces its second price increase in six months. The increase – 35% for gas and for electricity - comes into effect today. The price hikes could trigger more rises from other suppliers and push millions more households into fuel poverty.

Hope on horizon for those on social energy tariffs

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:32:23 +0100

The energy regulator Ofgem has told energy companies that social tariffs for their poorest customers - defined as those spending more than a tenth of their income on energy - must match the cheapest deals on offer, including online deals. The aim is to ensure that those who struggle most to pay their energy bills, such as pensioners, will be assured of being on the best deal in their area.

More fuel pain on the way

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:12:01 +0100

As EDF brings in swingeing increases in gas and electricity prices, pensioner campaigning organisations are warning of the dire impact this will have on millions already living in fuel poverty.

Energy price rises "will push another 1.6m pensioners into fuel poverty"

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:55:52 +0100

Cash strapped Brits could face an average total energy bill increase of £555 this year, and Britain's biggest older people's organisation, the National Pensioners Convention, has claimed that the threat that energy bills may rise later in the year by 40% will push another 1.6m older people into fuel poverty.

Initiatives for fuel poor deeply disappointing, says energywatch

Fri, 30 May 2008 09:16:06 +0100

"A missed opportunity" is how energywatch is describing the latest plans by Government and energy regulator Ofgem to assist the fuel poor.

Bristol project to keep out the cold

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:26:11 +0100

Thousands of Bristolians living in miserably cold homes will breathe a sigh of relief that winter is coming to an end. Before this year’s energy price rises, 10,178 Bristol households were thought to live in fuel poverty and that number has increased significantly since then. Warming Bristol, a local help service run by the Bristol & Somerset Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, has been lending a hand to those in need.

Government being sued - for failing to tackle fuel poverty

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:08:42 +0100

Grey and green pressure groups are mounting a remarkable attack on the Government’s continuing failure to eradicate fuel poverty – by suing them.

Government's fuel poverty strategy branded a "disaster"

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:24:56 +0000

Help the Aged has branded the Government’s fuel poverty strategy "a social disaster", with the number of households in fuel poverty set to reach the highest level in over a decade.

"Don't wait for social tariff changes to reduce your fuel bills"

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:07:20 +0000

The price comparison and switching website uSwitch has described the Chancellor's promise to tackle fuel proverty by compelling energy suppliers to offer more competitive tariffs to less well off households as a "brave attempt" which could prove to be "too little, too late" for millions of vulnerable people.

Insulate a home and keep someone warm for life

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:22:03 +0000

The front page article on February's Mature Times reports Steve Webb’s appeal for a dramatic improvement in home insulation and energy efficiency - yet the article (in common with most press coverage) then goes on to ignore this, and to restrict its comment to fuel poverty and pricing.

Energy suppliers failing the poor

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:18:06 +0000

As householders reel under inflation-busting rises in energy prices, the companies that supply our heat and light have come under attack for failing the most vulnerable members of society.