Fuel poverty Government faces day in court over fuel poverty failure
By Tony Watts - Editor - 03/10/2008
This coming Monday (6 October) will see the Government in the High Court, defending its failed strategy on eradicting fuel poverty.
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British Gas pile on the pain with 35% price hike
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
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
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"
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
"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
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
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"
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"
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
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
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.
Fuel poverty targets doomed to failure
The Government’s legally binding fuel poverty target for 2010 for England will not be met, according to the Government’s own Fuel Poverty Advisory Group. And Help the Aged has described the Government's decision to cut back on the flagship Warm Front programme as "madness".
Energy boost for over 60s in Herefordshire
Herefordshire Council is offering all people in the county over 60 years of age £500 towards insulation and heating controls. The news comes in response to the latest wave of energy price rises.
Number of pensioners in 'Fuel poverty' almost doubles in four years
Age Concern is urging Alistair Darling to put pensioners living in fuel poverty at the top of his Budget priorities. The number of older people in fuel poverty is likely to have more than doubled in the last four years alone.
