Today Labour announces a new warm homes plan. This comes after fuel poverty charity National Energy Action published its Fuel Poverty Monitor, showing the immense value of energy efficiency for millions across the UK. The charity says the UK should be leaning into warmer homes, for the good of individuals, the economy and society, not stepping away from it.
National Energy Action Chief Executive Adam Scorer says: ‘Millions of the poorest people in the UK live in the worst homes. Homes that are cold, damp and impossible to heat adequately or affordably. Energy efficiency cuts sky high energy bills, reduces carbon emissions and the acute pressures on health and social care services.
‘People in the worst fuel poverty need urgent and sustained action on energy efficiency. We expect whoever forms the next government to have a clear, funded plan that will deliver its legal fuel poverty targets. That means direct investment at scale in the homes of the fuel poor and it means stronger regulation for landlords. Stepping back from this would be hugely disappointing and, ultimately, self-defeating.’
The Fuel Poverty Monitor shows a funding gap of at least £18 billion for energy efficiency measures to meet the legal requirement to ensure fuel poor homes in England are brought up to a reasonable standard of energy efficiency by the end of this decade.
See National Energy Action’s asks of the next government https://www.nea.org.uk/national-energy-action-asks/
If this goes online please link to www.nea.org.uk/energy-crisis. If you put it on Twitter/X please include @NEA_UKCharity
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Notes to editors
- National Energy Action (NEA), is the national fuel poverty charity, working across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to improve the lives of people in fuel poverty. We directly support people with energy and income maximisation advice, and we advocate on issues such as the current energy crisis and the need to improve the energy efficiency of our homes. See: www.nea.org.uk.
- The UK Fuel Poverty Monitor report is based on a Call for Evidence (CfE), which gained responses from 136 respondents covering the breadth of the UK to obtain views on the success of current fuel poverty strategies and policies. To supplement this, NEA commissioned new analysis by Gemserv Ltd to understand the costs and benefits of meeting energy efficiency-based fuel poverty targets. The report also draws on the direct experience of people who are living through the crisis, with real-life experience of households contained as case studies that tell stories about their experiences of being in fuel poverty and accessing support. Go to www.nea.org.uk/publications/uk-fuel-poverty-monitor-national-energy-action-2022-23/.
