Fuel poverty report shows Government is failing millions of households

The Government has missed its 2020 fuel poverty targets and is already at "high risk" of failing to meet its goals for 2025, a report by the Committee on Fuel Poverty has found.

Commenting on the findings, Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy Secretary Ed Davey MP said:

"The Conservatives are failing millions of hard working families and leaving them in fuel poverty at a time when energy bills are rocketing.

"As a result of this Government's abysmal failures, people could find themselves unable to heat their homes this winter. With empty shelves in the supermarket and soaring energy bills, the Conservatives are leading us into a winter of discontent.

"The Government needs to step up now and help those struggling to pay their bills. Ministers must expand the Warm Homes Discount now and roll out an emergency programme of home insulation right across the country."

The Committee on Fuel Poverty report concludes that the UK government is not on track to make either the 2025 milestone ("as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable to Band D by 2025") or its 2030 legal target ("as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency rating of Band C, by 2030").

The Liberal Democrats are calling for the Warm Home Discount of £140 given to some pensioners to be doubled this year to £280 and to be expanded to all those who receive Universal Credit. The party is also demanding a massive home insulation programme to upgrade all poorly insulated UK homes within the next ten years - including through fully funded grants for those in fuel poverty and on low incomes.