Alarm over number of households in fuel poverty

SNP MP and Energy Spokesman Mike Weir today expressed alarm after figures published by the UK Government showed 1 million new households entered fuel poverty in 2006.

Mike Weir MP, has called on the UK Government and energy regulator Ofgem to step up monitoring of energy debt and disconnections levels.

The figures do not reflect the impact soaring energy prices over the last year will have had on vulnerable residential customers.

Figures published in August by Ofgem, revealed that the number of electricity and gas disconnections for debt in 2007 soared to 8,324, up by 3,270 on the previous year’s total. However, details of debt and disconnections for this year, during which gas and electricity prices have soared by almost 40 per cent, are not yet available and the SNP is concerned that they could reveal an energy costs crisis.

Mr Weir said:

"While these figures from the UK Government are disturbing enough, they do not even reflect the impact that soaring energy prices over the last year will have had on vulnerable households. The reality of the situation is almost certainly much worse.

”People are not only struggling to pay their bills, but also to understand why, at a time when the Treasury has been receiving record windfalls from North Sea Oil and energy companies are recording record profits, vulnerable customers are being left behind.

"With fuel poverty amid energy plenty the market is simply not working for the consumer and the UK Government must get a grip of what is fast becoming a crisis.

"The Westminster Government must take serious action, and address the impact these unsustainable rises are having on vulnerable households."