Commenting on the release of the latest fuel poverty figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Trisha McAuley, energy expert at Consumer Focus Scotland said:
“The latest government figures suggest that there are now 6.6 million fuel poor in the UK – over a million more than we previously thought.
This underlines the urgent need for further action by government both in Scotland, and at UK level, to do more to help those in fuel poverty. This includes offering more support to improve the energy efficiency of homes to help consumers cope with rising fuel bills.
The Scottish Government’s Energy Assistance Package and other fuel poverty measures are welcome, but it is clear that the scale of the problem requires a far more concerted effort if it is to be tackled effectively.”
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Notes to Editors
The fuel poverty figures released today by the Department of Energy and Climate Change are from 2007. They can be found at http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn120/pn120.aspx
Consumer Focus Scotland is rooted in over 30 years of work promoting the interests of consumers, particularly those who experience disadvantage in society. We work for consumers in aspects of their lives: as council tenants, householders, patients, parents, solicitors’ clients, public transport users, bank depositors and borrowers, postal service users and as shoppers.
We identify issues of concern within various markets; engage and develop policy through research and speaking to everyone involved; campaign for change; and inform consumers about what’s going on. Consumer Focus Scotland has new powers to research and investigate issues and consumer complaints, to publish information that providers hold and, ultimately, present a “supercomplaint” about failing services.
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