Carla Denyer reacts to latest fuel poverty figures
24 February 2022
Responding to today’s Government figures showing that 1 in 9 households are in fuel poverty, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said:
“Millions of households will be fearful about their energy bills, knowing that they cannot afford the vast increases in fuel costs. This is an incredibly stressful time for many people. Tragically, fuel poverty could mean thousands of lost lives. [1]
“Yet the government is allowing energy companies to make record-breaking profits off the back of ordinary people’s misery. Its response to the cost of living crisis is to merely delay the pain and add to the anxiety by offering loans that will saddle households with more debt.
“Instead of this cruel approach, the government should be immediately implementing a ‘dirty profits tax’ on oil and gas company profits, and using this to ease the pain of those in fuel poverty. [2]
Carla Denyer added, “What makes this crisis worse is that the UK has some of the leakiest and least-energy efficient housing in Europe. If we are to bring down the cost of living once and for all, as well as cutting carbon emissions, we need a nationwide drive to insulate houses, led by local authorities and backed with public money, as Green-led Lewes District Council is already doing.” [3]
Notes