Assembly wants more energy support for homes & businesses

Support announced today is not enough for London households, businesses, schools and other public institutions such as hospitals.



Today the London Assembly agreed a motion calling for urgent action on fuel poverty.



Léonie Cooper AM, who proposed the motion said:



"Months of inaction on the energy crisis has had catastrophic consequences for Londoners. Today's announcement by Government means Londoners will pay for the energy price rises, just over a much longer period.



"While oil and gas producers have made record profits, countless more Londoners are being pushed into fuel poverty this winter.



"Households in fuel poverty and businesses on the brink of bankruptcy need comprehensive and long-term help. Hospitals, schools, shops, and community institutions have been left in limbo over support they may get.



"We've seen cuts to solar and onshore wind, and now a return to fracking when what is needed is major investment in insulation schemes."

The full text of the motion is:

This Assembly calls for urgent action to address the energy crisis and its anticipated impact on fuel poverty (as defined by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition) when the energy price cap rises again in October 2022 and then in January 2023.

This Assembly notes that whilst BP will be paying out £4 billion in dividends to shareholders, the Mayor expects that an increase of the price cap to £3,500 in October will plunge almost a third of London households into fuel poverty and that the forecasted rise in January to almost £4,300, would see nearly half of Londoners in fuel poverty. Currently just over 1 in 10 households are already in fuel poverty.

Support for households so far is very welcome - but it simply does not go far enough. Many London households will have missed out on the payments linked to Council Tax Bands, due to living in London -- and the impact on pensioner households is hardly receiving attention.

Further action needs to be taken to freeze the energy price cap and improve the energy efficiency of leaky homes. However, the support so far has not extended to businesses, schools and other public institutions such as hospitals, who will not be able to afford electricity therefore either going under or seeing periods of closures.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to:

1. Lobby the Government to ensure that pensioners and others on any kind of benefit are assisted, particularly where they have missed out on assistance so far;
2. Lobby the Government to keep funding for home insulation programmes at the top of the political agenda;
3. Address the under-use of Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding in rounds
4. 1-3 in London, by ensuring that London gets its fair share of ECO4 and ECO4 Flex, 2022-2026;
5. Work with energy suppliers in London to get commitments for additional discounts to support those on fixed incomes and the lowest incomes, particularly those using pre-payment meters;
6. In conjunction with London's energy suppliers to write to all households not claiming the Government's Warm Homes Discount, to highlight their eligibility and how to apply for the scheme as the new price cap rises come into place;
7. Provide a dedicated tab and a web page on the Cost of Living Hub, with regularly updated details of all support available, including details of his Warmer Homes Programme;
8. Work with London's energy suppliers to widely advertise the discounts and grants available to fixed or low income Londoners, including on TfL services such as buses and tubes; and
9. Fund energy advisors for community energy groups, Citizens Advice and local authorities, as is consistent with Mayoral Directive 2816.

The Assembly also calls on the Chair of the Assembly to write to Prime Minister making the case for a freeze on the energy price cap, an effective replacement for the Green Home Grants scheme to help improve the energy efficiency of homes and support for the upscaling of renewable energy generation through schemes like the Mayor's Community Energy Fund.