End fuel poverty and keep energy prices down
This Christmas, one in four homes in Scotland will be living in fuel poverty.
Labour wants to eradicate fuel poverty and keep energy prices down. We believe The Warm Homes Bill will only be effective if accompanied by real action including fair energy prices.
Scotland is an energy-rich country, yet over a quarter of households in Scotland are in fuel poverty. This rises to over a third in rural areas.
Living in a cold home can exacerbate illnesses such as flu, heart disease, and strokes, and promote the growth of fungi and dust mites – often linked to conditions such as asthma. The UK has the second-worst rate of excess winter deaths in Europe with over 3,000 people dying each year in the UK because they cannot afford to properly heat their homes.
The Warm Homes Bill will set out in legislation the Scottish Government’s fuel poverty strategy, but it will only be effective if accompanied by real action including fair energy prices. We are seeking:
- A commitment to eradicate fuel poverty by 2032.
- A definition of fuel poverty that includes an uplift for rural communities.
- A minimum standard of energy efficiency in private rented sector housing of an EPC rating of at least C by 2025.
Labour would place a cap on energy prices to keep average energy bills under £1,000 per year and we would take energy supply back into public ownership.
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Over a quarter of households in Scotland are living in fuel poverty, and rising energy costs are making it harder for people to make ends meet. This isn’t good enough.
Add your name and help us end fuel poverty.