NEA's Warm Homes Campaign calls on MPs to help local groups identify those at risk of fuel poverty, as new report highlights suffering is not restricted to elderly
National Energy Action's (NEA's) Warm Homes Campaign, which is supported by energy company E.ON, is a national initiative that aims to highlight the issue of fuel poverty among decision-makers and members of the public that may be struggling to heat their homes affordably.
To mark the launch of the campaign, a new report - ‘The Many Faces of Fuel Poverty' - has today been published which states that approximately 6.6 million UK households are in fuel poverty and more than 50 per cent are under the age of 65. The report focuses on four real people, and shows that the effects of fuel poverty are wide-ranging, impacting on educational attainment, physical and mental health, and emotional well-being.
As well as highlighting the groups impacted by living in cold homes, NEA has also worked with E.ON to produce an easy to use document that will help identify the best solutions for constituents who are worried about keeping warm and paying their home energy bills. NEA is urging MPs to help share this information with community groups and the public so households know where they can get help and advice.
This year, pressure has grown for the Coalition Government to take action on this urgent social and environmental issue and the Prime Minister has pledged his support for the Campaign,
David Cameron comments:"The Coalition Government welcomes National Energy Action's Warm Homes Campaign. We are committed to helping low income and vulnerable people with their energy costs''
‘Through the Green Deal we will help drive investment to improve the energy efficiency of homes and businesses, protecting people from energy price rises through savings on their energy bills; and the new Energy Company Obligation will support those who need the most help including those living hard to treat properties and vulnerable households on low in incomes.
"In addition, the new Warm Homes Discount Scheme will assist up to 2 million homes each year, helping among others, over 600,000 poorer pensioners with money off their energy bills this Winter''.
NEA Chief Executive, Jenny Saunders, said: "Each year, we witness thousands of unnecessary deaths attributed to living in cold homes - far more than die in traffic accidents, and millions suffer from cold-related illnesses and the fear of high energy bills they cannot afford.
"For 30 years NEA has been taking action to help tackle the causes and symptoms of this national problem at a local level. Projects like the Community Energy Fit project, delivered by NEA in partnership with E.ON, offer people who are currently unemployed the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills and work as part of a team to raise awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency and how to access grants and services.
"I'd encourage people to download the new information that we are publishing today to help take action at home and in our communities. MPs have an important role to play to make sure everyone is aware of this resource."
E.ON's Community Relations Manager, Suzanne Doxey, said:
"We know that our customers are increasingly concerned about affordability, which is why we have a range of initiatives in place that can help customers to control their bills. We also understand that it is often hard for customers to know how to get this support. That's why we work with local community groups to provide them with practical advice and information, so that they can pass it on to the people that they talk to on a daily basis.
"The Warm Homes Campaign plays a vital role in helping get information out to those who can make a real difference to vulnerable people this winter".
ENDS
Editors notes:
- NEA is the UK's leading fuel poverty charity campaigning for affordable warmth in the homes of vulnerable people. For further details visit http://www.nea.org.uk
- The Many Faces of Fuel Poverty - A real-life perspective on the causes and effects of fuel poverty and how this can be tackled is attached to this release.
- NEA has also made available today its response to Professor Hill's interim report and consultation which has been commissioned by Government on its fuel poverty strategy.
- This year NEA marks a 30 year milestone in campaigning for warm homes. Since its inception in 1981 NEA has championed energy efficiency as the most sustainable means of tackling fuel poverty.
- The NEA and Warm Homes Campaign 2011 press pack is available on the NEA Website. http://www.nea.org.uk/warm-homes-campaign/
- Warm Homes Campaign is a national campaign organised by fuel poverty charities National Energy Action (NEA) and is sponsored in 2011 by E.ON.
- The campaign will run from 24th November to the 9th December.
- Warm Homes Campaign is a national initiative that aims to highlight the issue of fuel poverty among decision-makers, point to good work being done to tackle the problem at a community level and direct those in or at risk of Fuel Poverty by highlighting where they can get help and advice.
- The Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 introduced a duty on the Secretary of State to publish and implement a strategy to end fuel poverty within a specified date and not later than 2016.
- The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy defines a fuel-poor household as one needing to spend more than 10% of household income to achieve a satisfactory and healthy heating regime
- Fuel poverty results from a combination of factors: low household income; unaffordable energy prices; and inadequate heating and insulation standards. The consequences of fuel poverty range from psychological distress, social isolation and physical discomfort to causing or exacerbating serious illness and, in the most extreme cases, to premature death.
- The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in June 2011, put the total number of households living in fuel poverty in the UK at 5.5 million in 2009. This represented an increase of 1 million households over the estimates for 2008 and comprises approximately 21% of all UK households. Energy price increases this summer have had a dramatic effect on the number of households living in fuel poverty, increasing the numbers of households by over 1.2 million. NEA now estimates that over 6.6 million UK households now suffer the misery of living in fuel poverty.
- E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. E.ON employs around 12,000 people in the UK and more than 79,000 worldwide.
- In the UK, E.ON supplies power and gas to over five million domestic, small and medium-sized enterprise and industrial customers. E.ON also offers innovative energy services and technologies tailored to meet its customers' needs, and is helping customers become energy fit by encouraging them to insulate their homes, moderate their energy usage and even generate their own power
For details on the Warm Homes Campaign and MPs' activities around the country, contact Lesley Tudor-Snodin, NEA Press Officer, on 0191 261 5677 or LTS@nea.org.uk. Out of hours contact Peter Smith, NEA - 07595780893.