While there is currently no cure for Covid-19, cold homes are entirely preventable and four clear actions must be taken to save lives and help address the financial impact of the current crisis.
- Fuel Poverty Debt Relief (not deferral) so that fewer people have to choose between eating or heating.
- Rapid roll-out of large-scale energy efficiency programmes which would also deliver a green economic stimulus that is shovel ready (e.g. retrofitting of people’s homes and improved heating systems). The Government must confirm their manifesto pledge to invest £9.2 billion in building energy efficiency and bring forward £2.8 billion to invest in the next two years which can support 42,500 jobs across the country and help a million households save an average of £270 on their energy bills.
- Urgent delivery of government promises on tackling fuel poverty, such as extension of Warm Home Discount, introduction of the promised Home Upgrade Grants and social housing decarbonisation programme.
- Immediate steps to improve energy standards in the private rented sector, alongside improved security and affordability for private tenants.
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson setting out our concerns and the solutions proposed on 23 June 2020.