11 December 2006
With studies showing that four million UK households are being forced into fuel poverty, the National Energy Association (NEA) has appealed to the government for urgent action to stem the rising tide of energy costs.
Although pleased by the chancellor's pre-Budget report announcement for additional funding for tackling fuel poverty, the chief executive of NEA, William Gillis, has urged the government to work with energy providers to "mitigate the effects of all-time high energy costs".
"This new £7.5 million fund will boost our work in directing energy efficiency grants and services to those most in need. There are currently seven Warm Zones active in England, which each month are delivering £1million of energy saving measures and advice to local residents," said Mr Gillis.
He added that it was government intervention was now a "matter of urgency" as the past year had seen the average annual energy bill rise to over £1,000, forcing over a million children into fuel poverty and causing 90% of excess winter deaths.
NEA also warned that the government's targets of ending fuel poverty for vulnerable households in England by 2010 and for all households by 2016 will not be met without greatly increased investment in energy efficiency and additional measures to assist vulnerable householders.
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