Fuel Poverty- advice and assistance for those needing help

[kennythecelt]

This thread is being started as a means of providing advice and asistance to people who find it expensive and difficult to heat their homes and are classed as in Fuel Poverty.

The thread may well change as it develops, depending on contributions- which are very welcome. (object- provide comprehensive advice and assistance to fuel poor- a group that will grow over time)

Firstly, Help the Aged and Friends of the Earth are suing the Government. Here is a link on the case which starts today. Regular updates are welcome.

Government sued for fuel poverty failure - Help the Aged

Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged are calling on the Government to:

• clearly set out how it will meet its legal obligation to eliminate fuel poverty, what the costs will be and how its plans will be funded;
• establish a mechanism for accurately identifying all those households suffering from fuel poverty;
• recognise that ensuring high levels of energy efficiency provides the key long-term solution to ending fuel poverty;
• set a minimum standard of energy efficiency for all households being treated for fuel poverty; and
• set up low-carbon home zones in areas where fuel poverty is concentrated, in which fuel-poor households should be treated house by house to the requisite energy efficiency standard.

News from BBC today on the same issue:

BBC - Action Network - Energy

[kennythecelt]

And The Guardian: 09/04/08

Charities sue government | Business | The Guardian

"Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged are taking the government to court today for failing to meet its own legal obligation to eradicate fuel poverty.
The two charities will be filing a judicial review at the high court this morning, and have called on the government to set out how it will meet its target to eliminate the growing problem, which blights about 4.5m homes.
Two weeks ago the government's advisers, the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG), said more than 2.3m of the most vulnerable households in England are forced to spend at least 10% of their income on heating and lighting.
Peter Lehmann, the outgoing chairman of FPAG, warned then that the government would miss its target to eradicate fuel poverty for the most vulnerable households by 2010, and for all households by 2016.
In making the court application today, the two charities have called on the government to identify accurately all those households facing hardship and set a minimum standard of energy efficiency for all households suffering fuel poverty.
Mervyn Kohler, an adviser for Help the Aged, said: "The government's fuel poverty strategy is a fiasco and, all too often, older people are the casualties."
Ed Matthew of Friends of the Earth, said: "The government has missed an opportunity to both end fuel poverty and bring down carbon emissions."

[kennythecelt]

BBC NEWS | Business | Extra £225m to beat fuel poverty


"Up to 100,000 households could be helped with their fuel bills under a deal agreed between the UK's big six energy companies and the government.
The energy firms have agreed to boost their collective annual spending on social assistance programmes by £225m over the next three years.
Spending will go up from £50m in the past financial year to £100m this year, £125m in 2009-10 and £150m in 2010-11.
The deal was brokered by Energy Secretary John Hutton.
'Eradicating fuel poverty'
If all the extra money was used to offset bills it could remove up to 100,000 homes from fuel poverty.
A home is judged to be in fuel poverty if 10% or more of the household income is spent on energy bills. The big six energy firms are British Gas, E.On, Scottish Power, Scottish & Southern, EDF, and NPower. "

The money will not go far given the fact that rising fuels bills will continue to impact on more and more people and families.

The government will not meet its targets.

A tragic dereliction of duty: The Times, 10/04/08

A tragic dereliction of duty - Times Online

[AwakeNow]

This is very informative and a great help ( I know how to click scales now : - )

[kennythecelt]

Social Tariffs

Several utilities run these schemes, unfortunately not all. Details are in Table 2. This may help some folk in difficulties.

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/upload...9_May_2007.pdf

The additional finances outlined above should see a growth in these schemes and the number of people getting help.

Social Tariffs: Report and Recommendations by Energywatch: (executive summary)


http://www.energywatch.org.uk/upload...ve_summary.pdf

[Conniff]

One of the major 'helps' they could give would be to make the supply by prepayment the same as that by quarterly. As they are getting their money beforehand it should really be cheaper, no chance of defaulting with a prepayment meter.

[kennythecelt]

You are bang on Conniff- thanks for the suggestion.

Perhaps we need to include consumer rights in this area, powers the utilities have, the costs of pre payment, lack of transfer to another utility etc.

If anyone has further ideas in this area, comments, etc please feel free to contribute.

I was hoping that over time this thread could perhaps provide some comprehensive guidance on fuel poverty and related issues and become more user friendly which might entail some joint working and thread/ post editing.

The objective would be assistance to people facing these difficulties and perhaps linked into some kind of campaigning, if its thought there is a worthwhile route by participants/ contributors.

Thanks Kenny

[Conniff]

I will gladly gather all I can to assist you Kenny.

If something good can be put together, it might be worthwhile sending it to David Cameron for inclusion in their manifesto for the next general election. If not inclusion then at least something to bleat about in the campaign.

It's not who I support that my vote will go to, it's who I despise that my vote will go against.

[kennythecelt]

Thanks Conniff, it will be a pleasure to work with you on this!


To begin with the thread will be a bit of a jumble, which will need editing later on.

This might mean some threads being edited/ deleted, mine included, by Cagbot; which also means that post count would be reduced when that happens. (just pointing out to everyone as there have been problems in the past when this type of approach has been undertaken).

Any problems please contact me to avoid any issues arising.

[kennythecelt]

Energywatch: What do they do?? What can they do for you?? (from their web site)

energywatch: Home Page

"energywatch is the independent gas and electricity watchdog. We were set up in November 2000 through the Utility Act to protect and promote the interests of all gas and electricity consumers.
We provide free, impartial information and advice and take up complaints on behalf of consumers who are experiencing difficulty in resolving problems directly with their energy companies.
We use the intelligence we gather through the complaint-handling process to develop a real understanding of the issues affecting consumers and their impact on their day to day lives.
We highlight the issues of greatest concern through campaigns, by naming and shaming the offending companies and by using the consumer experience to illustrate the human cost of corporate failure.
energywatch works closely with the regulator, Ofgem, to ensure that company performance issues are monitored and where appropriate, the evidence is provided to trigger investigations and/or enforcement action.
We are also work constructively with companies, initiating changes to their policies, processes and systems that will make them more responsive to the needs of their customers.
We deliver our services in partnership with a range of other caring organisations and advice-giving bodies."

From Energywatch: their campaigns. Note Enerywatch being abolished from October 2008,


At energywatch, we don’t just handle complaints on behalf of consumers, we campaign to solve the root cause of those complaints.

Our publications and work with the media raises awareness among consumers of how they can help themselves. Our campaigning work gets the issues that matter to consumers on the agenda of those in a position to make a difference, whether they are politicians, civil servants or regulators. We work together with the energy companies when they have a genuine commitment to make things better for consumers – and press them hard when they don’t.

All our campaigns support our three key aims for consumers:

• fair prices and good service from a competitive energy market
• simple and effective ways to make sustainable energy choices
• fair and appropriate treatment for the most vulnerable energy consumers

Since we were formed we’ve had a real impact on people’s lives – especially the most vulnerable. As a result of our campaigning levels of mis-selling have dropped by almost 90 per cent in the last three years, and the number of disconnections has also fallen dramatically.

But there are still serious issues affecting energy consumers. Our current campaigns are:
Your views count - energywatch wants your views

On 1 October 2008 energywatch will close and merge along with Postwitch and the National Consumer Council to form a new organisation.

Campaigns

Your views count - energywatch wants your views

Give us your views and receive a free carbon monoxide detector and be entered into a competition to win £500 to spend on an energy saving appliance of your choice.
On 1 October 2008 energywatch will close and merge along with Postwitch and the National Consumer Council to form a new organisation. The new organisation will provide advice to consumers however, it will not provide the independent complaint handling support energywatch currently provides. (who will do that??)
That is why we want to hear from you, particularly if you are living with a disability or are elderly, what concerns you have and what you need help with. We want the new organisation to be aware of the issues faced by consumers to ensure it provides the right information, help and support, for consumers in the future.
Please help us do this by either:

• filling in our short survey or
• call 0845 688 9594 and speak to one our team who will be happy to fill out the survey for you, or send you a survey for you to complete.
• joining the energywatch forum.

In the forum you can raise a concern, send us a comment, or ask us a question and get a direct response from an energywatch advisor."

[kennythecelt]

Energywatch Knowledge base

(useful info here plus questions and answers)

inc:

1energywatch - Who We Are and What We Do
2What do these answers cover? How do they work?
3Wrong bills - what are the most common causes?
4Identify your electricity supplier...
5How many years back can they still bill me?
6Why am I suddenly using a lot more gas or electricity?
7PRICE CHANGES: Advice and information for consumers
8Backbilling on Prepayment meters...
9Problem with your business supply?
10How do they work out your bills?
11Who is my local gas transporter?
12Unhappy with a Price Comparison Service Provider?
13The Energy Ombudsman
14What should I do in a power cut?
15Identify your gas supplier...
16How can I prepare for a power cut?
17No gas/electricity emergency?
18Can they bill me if I never signed a contract?
19Smart Meter Information
20I think my meter is faulty - what should I do?

(need separation between debt issues due to non bill payment/ arrears and fuel poverty issues: discussion required)

[babydoll0141917]

hi

im on a pre pay meters..even tho u can watch what u spend u still end up paying more for the meter..i do recommend them tho ..and any1 can have them..at least there is no bill to pay.so i dont miss that dropping on my door mat every quarter