COLD HOMES WEEK IS GRIM REALITY 52 WEEKS A YEAR FOR MANY

COLD homes week was a series of events and activities designed to focus attention on the shocking state of many of the UK’s homes - and the terrible effect on the people left shivering inside them.

The event was organised by Energy Bill Revolution, which revealed new fuel poverty figures showing seven million people in England are in fuel poverty – meaning they cannot keep their homes warm at a reasonable price.

The figures includes 2.2 million children growing up in cold homes.

The shocking figure is based on a new Government definition of fuel poverty for England which, when introduced, classified far less people as fuel poor than the previous definition.

The Energy Bill Revolution campaign brought together almost 180 organisations, charities and companies to call on the Government to do much more to help those in cold homes by providing far more support to insulation and energy efficiency schemes.

The campaigners point to other countries, such as Sweden, where incomes and fuel prices are broadly similar to the UK, but better housing means more people can afford to heat their homes.

Billions of pounds in “carbon taxes” currently disappear into the Treasury, and the campaign called on the Government to recycle this money into help for households to become more efficient.

I welcome this initiative and was more than happy to give it my backing in Westminster.I tabled a series of amendments to the Energy Bill last year to establish clear targets for the eradication of fuel poverty – but they were voted down by the Government.

The work of organisations like Energy Bill Revolution is clear evidence that this growing issue needs addressing - and quickly.