Despite households across the UK suffering severe financial hardship due to high energy bills and record levels of fuel poverty, the Chancellor gave no help in his budget today to make homes more energy efficient.
Instead, the Chancellor made it clear that his focus was on ensuring gas continued to be a major fuel source in the UK, stating: “Gas is cheap, has much less carbon than coal and will be the largest single source of our electricity in the coming years”.
Ed Mathew, Director of Transform UK, which is co-ordinating the Energy Bill Revolution campaign said: “With over 6 million households in fuel poverty in the UK, I do not believe the British public share the Chancellor’s view that gas is cheap. Gas has caused 80% of the rise in energy bills in recent years. A future energy strategy focused on gas will continue to hold UK households hostage to high and volatile gas prices.
The focus of the Chancellor should be on minimising energy use by making it possible for every UK household to super-insulate their home. Recycling carbon tax to households can provide enough revenue to super-insulate 600,000 homes every single year. It offers the only permanent solution to bring down household energy bills and end fuel poverty once and for all.”
Back