We are pleased to announce that Age UK and its national partners Age Cymru, Age NI and Age Scotland have joined the Energy Bill Revolution alliance, for warm homes and lower bills.
Age UK and its national partners are joining the alliance to help reduce preventable winter deaths among older people, as part of its ‘Spread the Warmth’ campaign. Research shows that the majority of excess winter deaths are due to heart attacks, strokes and respiratory problems brought about by exposure to low temperatures. Cold homes are a big factor, with excess winter death rates three times higher in the coldest homes than in the warmest.
The Energy Bill Revolution is calling on the Government to use the money it gets from carbon taxes to make our homes super-energy efficient. This is the only permanent way to drive down energy bills and end fuel poverty.
From next year the Government will be collecting over £2 billion in carbon tax every year, rising to £4 billion by 2020 and £7 billion by 2027. Recycled back into energy efficiency programmes, this would be enough to super-insulate more than 600,000 homes a year, bringing 9 out of 10 homes out of fuel poverty. It could quadruple carbon emission savings from households compared to the government’s new energy efficiency policies, and a new report for Consumer focus shows the Energy Bill Revolution is also best for economic growth and job creation.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s Director of External Affairs, said:
“We know that cold homes are contributing to high numbers of older people dying each winter. Yet the situation is preventable by improving the energy efficiency of our homes which will help older people stay warmer without having to spend more on energy bills. The Energy Bill Revolution offers a real solution to ending fuel poverty and Age UK will work closely with the alliance to put pressure on the Government to take action.”
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