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Play fair on heating
• THE snow may have melted but Islington residents are still facing freezing weather and high fuel bills. Everyone needs to heat their homes, but the way we have to pay for it is unfair.
It’s unfair that customers on pre-pay meters pay more per unit than customers on direct debit. It’s unfair that the energy companies charge us all more for the first units we use – the essential ones – thereby punishing light users. It’s unfair that “social tariffs” are complicated and confusing.
And it’s unfair that, while the government sets high energy efficiency targets for some new homes, one in four households is missing out.
This particularly hits poorer households and pensioners in Islington, where housing costs are already so high. We need action from the government for fairer fuel bills. And we need investment in energy efficiency to fight fuel poverty and climate change.
Islington Council is doing its bit, with the Safe and Warm programme and “energy doctor” advice from the Green Living Centre.
But to tackle unfair fuel bills we need action from the Labour government. So far, it has let us down.
Liberal Democrat MPs are putting forward a new Fuel Poverty Bill in Parliament to help change things for the better. Many charities are supporting us. I’m backing the Bill and hope Islington residents will too. Tribune readers can sign the petition at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/fairerfuelbills
BRIDGET FOX
Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate, Islington South and Finsbury
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