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Press Statement: National Right to Fuel Campaign

Press Statement: National Right to Fuel Campaign

15^th March 2012    For immediate release

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Government must respond to Fuel Poverty Review as a matter of urgency

Response to the release of Hills’ Fuel Poverty Review

The National Right to Fuel Campaign (NRFC) welcomes Professor Hills’ report (Hills’ Fuel Poverty Review) and his view that fuel poverty must be seen as a specific and distinct problem that exacerbates poor outcomes in health, drugs education and well being.

It is clear that Fuel Poverty – however it is measured – is set to rise with between 8 and 9 million people set to live in homes that they cannot afford to heat by 2016.  The NRFC call upon the Coalition Government to respond to Professor Hills call to action as a matter of urgency.  The NRFC support the review and the supporting evidence would suggest that there is a need to scrap the widely criticised Green Deal and look to roll out a door by door insulation and energy efficiency programme for every home in the UK by 2016.

Speaking after the launch of the Report, order NRFC Chair, Hugh Goulbourne, commented as follows:

“Professor Hills’ report rightly recognises that the fuel poor mostly live in hard to heat homes. It is only through targeted expenditure on the homes of the fuel poor – increasing insulation and reducing the cost of heating – that we can begin to tackle this.

“90% of the fuel poverty gap is accounted for by households with low incomes living in homes that have energy ratings of E,F and G.   It makes sense to spend money on hard to heat homes as energy efficiency expenditure will lead to a very speedy pay back for taxpayers investment – £500m of investment delivers, between £2.9 and £2.6bn of savings in terms of health, education and other UK Treasury spending.”

ENDS

For more information and for additional reaction please contact NRFC Chair Hugh Goulbourne

T:  07748 803 634

E:  [email protected]

Alternatively, please contact Tom Denney

T: 020 7222 3533

E: [email protected]

The National Right to Fuel Campaign (NRFC) was established in 1975 with a key objective to end fuel poverty by securing a warm, dry, well-lit home for all, regardless of income and location and has taken a leading role in putting fuel poverty high on the political agenda.  The Campaign has a membership comprising voluntary organisations, local authorities, trade unions, individuals, academics and professionals in housing, social welfare and environmental health.