The leaders of 34 British housing associations have called for more targeted government support to help low-income households struggling with the cost of living crisis this winter.
The groups sent a letter to Amanda Solloway MP, minister for energy consumers and affordability and Lord Callanan, minister for energy efficiency and green finance at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
The letter calls on the government to provide more support through the Energy Bills Support Scheme and Energy Bills Discount Scheme for winter 2023-2024 for people on low incomes and 1.7 million households living in fuel poverty.
The letter also calls for the government to expand eligibility for the Warm Homes Discount to include households on heat networks and without a direct relationship with an electricity supplier, and extend the application deadline for Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding from 31st May until 31st December 2023.
The letter has been signed by the chief executives of housing associations like Clarion, Riverside, Hyde, Guinness Partnership, Notting Hill Genesis, Network Homes, Midland Heart, Peabody, Places for People, Sanctuary and Southern Housing among others.
Collectively, the housing associations who have signed the letter provide homes for more than 1.5 million households.
In July, energy regulator Ofgem announced a series of reforms to help customers and businesses deal with issues like payment support, and to ensure energy companies don’t go out of business.
Also in July, trade association Energy UK, Citizens Advice, National Energy Action, MoneySavingExpert and Fair By Design called on the government to publish their consultation on how to target support to vulnerable energy users this winter.
