I'm very concerned about fuel poverty and campagning hard to ensure that the issue is getting the attention it deserves. It's something affects many people in Brighton and around the country. Here's a letter I sent to the Argus, that was published today:

Whilst it is good news that some energy companies are about to slash their prices (Argus Saturday 7th February), we must tackle fuel prices and fuel poverty over the long-term so that householders do not continue to be at the mercy of energy companies.

The three causes of fuel poverty are high prices, low incomes and poor energy efficiency. By creating energy efficient homes through insulation, efficient boilers and enabling access to the most cost-effective forms of fuel, householders would in the longer term be able to sever the ties with energy companies and reduce their fuel bills.

Government spending of £6.8bn towards making millions of homes more energy efficient is therefore welcome. It is crucial that when tackling fuel poverty we give every householder the opportunity to cut their carbon emissions through energy efficiency measures. I believe we should also consider the position of people in rented accommodation who cannot directly access the funding.

Older people, people with disabilities and families on low incomes are most at risk of living in fuel poverty. For these groups, we must insist that energy companies offer a social tariff so they are protected from rising fuel bills.

Meanwhile, we urgently need to invest in microgeneration technologies and produce our own energy to so that householders start to have a greater choice of energy supply and control over their fuel bills.

Nancy Platts
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Pavilion

Tags: Fuel Poverty

Posted on February 14, 2009 in Environmental and Green Issues.