Changeworks welcomes the UK Government’s decision to keep the Energy Price Cap Guarantee in place until the end of June.
However, with the Energy Bill Support Scheme having come to an end and with fuel poverty rising, we urge support for a more long-term solution: the retrofitting of Scotland’s energy inefficient homes.
The announcement of an extension to the Energy Price Cap Guarantee will come as a relief to millions of people across the country. The Energy Price Cap is set by Ofgem. It puts a maximum limit on the price that energy suppliers can charge customers per unit of energy.
The government’s Price Cap Guarantee brings this limit down further. Without it, the average household would see their energy bill would rise from £2,500 to £3,280.
“Without greater support for insulation schemes, we run the risk of another difficult winter for millions of people.”
This shouldn’t detract from the point that a £2,500 energy bill remains unaffordable for a huge number people. According to Citizens Advice Scotland, 40% of Scottish households are now in fuel poverty.
Over the last six months, each Scottish household received £400 through the Energy Bill Support Scheme. Unlike the Energy Price Cap Guarantee, that funding won’t be extended. Earlier in the year, the government announced it will be replaced with more “targeted support”.
High fuel costs are a symptom of our over-reliance on fossil fuels, exacerbated by the poor level of insulation in our homes. Addressing these issues would replace sticking-plaster reactions with long-lasting, sustainable solutions.
Changeworks’ Chief Executive, Josiah Lockhart, said:“As we enter the warmer months, the government has an opportunity to help us get fully prepared for next winter. If we can insulate our homes, and heat them with low-carbon systems, we can ensure that staying warm is affordable for everyone.
“Without greater support for insulation schemes, we run the risk of another difficult winter for millions of people.”
For more information about the support that has replaced the Energy Bill Support Scheme, please visit our website.
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