Dundee anti-poverty chief calls for cheap energy rates - 15/01/2009
The head of an anti-poverty organisation in Dundee has called upon the prime minister to provide better access to cheap energy, reports the Courier.
Jim Milne, the head of Dundee Anti-Poverty Forum, has called for direct government action to tackle recent price rises from energy suppliers and prevent more households from falling into fuel poverty. In a letter to Gordon Brown, he said that the issue was especially pertinent given the recent freezing weather conditions across the UK, and he argued that government winter fuel payments needed to be backed up with cheap energy rates.
Mr Milne told the paper: "Some vulnerable households will receive a £25 heating subsidy this week but with annual bills still in excess of a whopping £1,200, this subsidy is equivalent to just two per cent of yearly energy costs."
Mr Milne added that price rises were presenting many households with a stark choice of either buying food or heating their homes.
A spokesman in Downing Street said that the government expected energy suppliers to reduce consumer prices in line with wholesale reductions.
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