Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, supports the launch of National Energy Action’s Warm and Safe Homes Campaign ahead of Fuel Poverty Awareness Day on Friday 3rd December, as she signposts constituents in or at risk of fuel poverty to local services which could help them this winter.
Everybody deserves to live in a warm and safe home, yet each winter hundreds of thousands of people struggle to heat their homes affordably, living in cold and damp conditions which are a danger to their health and lead to hundreds of excess deaths.
Organisations and individuals across the UK will be coming together on Fuel Poverty Awareness Day to highlight the issues people are facing and the support that is available. The National Energy Action will continue this activity throughout the winter as part of its Warm and Safe Homes Campaign.
The National Energy Action has developed a series of multilingual information leaflets aimed at frontline workers to help provide advice in communities and share information with those who need it.
Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, said:
“We’ve seen the cost of living in the UK soaring to its highest level in a decade, with household energy bills increasing by well over £230 since last winter. For 4.5 million UK households the cold reality is that their situation is getting much worse as more and more families struggle to keep their homes warm and safe.
“UK Government support is inadequate, and failure to keep the Universal Credit £20 a week uplift has made it even more difficult for families to pay the bills. Fuel Poverty Awareness Week is important in highlighting what support is needed for fuel poor households, and which services are on hand to help people keep warm this winter and beyond.
“National Energy Action’s resources page contains valuable advice and information, from energy saving tips to how to get help with energy costs, so I’d encourage constituents to visit this page if they need support.”