The End Fuel Poverty Coalition, which is co-ordinated by Campaign Collective, has joined almost 30 charities and mission-led organisations to urge the government to respond to the ongoing gas crisis with measures to create a green, fair and affordable energy future for all – rather than entrenching our reliance on expensive and polluting fossil gas.
The groups note that following a record rise in the cost of gas on the global market, households face an enormous increase in their energy bills, fuelling a cost-of-living crisis.
The surge in gas prices could increase fuel poverty by 50%, from 4 to 6 million households. It could lead to millions of vulnerable households rationing their energy, increasing unnecessary loss of life during winter and the burden on the NHS when it is already under extreme strain due to the pandemic. Emergency support is needed immediately for the most vulnerable households.
The root cause of the cost-of-living crisis is the UK’s heavy reliance on fossil gas for heating and power. Over 85% of UK homes currently depend on fossil gas heating, and exposure to volatile international gas markets is exacerbated by our cold and leaky housing stock.
The letter calls on the government to address these underlying drivers of the crisis by investing in a greener, fairer and healthier future. The path to long-term resilience and to tackle the climate crisis is to ensure all UK homes are well insulated, to shift off gas and to homegrown, sustainable, renewable energy.
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