Fairer fuel bills now!

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition. I'm very grateful to you and everyone who has worked so hard to back the campaign and to support the Fuel Poverty Bill introduced by my Liberal Democrat colleague, David Heath MP.

Unfortunately, the Labour Government did not back the Bill, and at a crucial vote on Friday 20 March, it fell just short of the 100 votes necessary to go forward.

Liberal Democrat campaigners are continuing to press for a Green Road out of Recession - investing in programmes like home insulation to tackle poverty, fight climate change and provide much needed jobs.

Thank you again for your support.

Liberal Democrats are campaigning for for a fairer deal on fuel bills.

Islington South & Finsbury candidate Bridget Fox writes:

"Many households have been hard hit by record energy prices. Every year old people die from cold, too afraid of the bills to heat their homes. Too many people face choices between heating and eating. It's a disgrace in the 21st century.

"And even as gas and electricity bills begin to fall, the poorest households still pay more for their energy than richer ones: that's unfair.

"It's time for real action for fairer fuel bills."

UNFAIR: We all pay more for the first units of energy we use, so the more you heat your home the less you pay per unit. That makes it harder for people to save money by cutting fuel bills and hits light users hardest.

UNFAIR: Low income customers on pre-pay meters pay more per unit than customers on direct debit. Social tariffs, aimed at people on low incomes, are complicated and confusing.

UNFAIR: While Government sets high energy efficiency targets for some new homes, one in four households are missing out.

Liberal Democrats are leading the way on fuel poverty, promoting a massive investment in insulation and energy efficiency to lower bills and protect the environment too.

Lib Dem MP David Heath is bringing forward a Bill to end fuel poverty.

The fuel poverty bill has the backing of a wide range of organisations concerned with the elderly, poverty and the environment, including Age Concern, the Association for the Conservation of Energy, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, the Child Poverty Action Group, Consumer Focus, Disability Alliance, Friends of the Earth, Help the Aged and the National Right to Fuel Campaign.

The bill will bring in two measures:

A major energy efficiency programme to ‘fuel poverty proof’ existing homes by bringing them up to the current energy efficiency levels enjoyed by modern homes