New team to help folk meet rising fuel costs
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
A new service is to be launched to help thousands of Glasgow city residents who are struggling to pay their fuel bills.
The Fuel Poverty Advice Team is made up of a range of organisations with the aim of providing advice to those in difficulty.
According to Glasgow City Council, fuel poverty continues to be a major issue for many people with recent estimates suggesting around 105,000 householders spend more than 10% of their disposable income on energy bills. Some 35,000 homes are thought to be in extreme fuel poverty, spending more than 20% of disposable income on energy.
Steve Inch is the council’s executive director of development and regeneration. He said: “Though energy utilities have reduced their tariffs since the peak in early 2009 these reductions are much less than the earlier increases and prices remain unacceptably high.
“Though these price reductions would normally have fed through as a reduction in the number of fuel poor households in the city, this is likely to have been counterbalanced by the economic slump, increases in levels of unemployment and reduced family income levels.”
In a bid to tackle the problem, the council has teamed up with the Wise Group, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations and the Glasgow Advice and Information Network.
The project aims to ensure householders are able to make the best use of energy in their home, particularly through the most cost effective use of heating and hot water systems. Staff will help householders access the best fuel tariffs and help those who qualify to get lower cost social tariffs.
People in particular need will have access to any available emergency cash help, householders will have access to insulation and appliances where appropriate and help will be given to people who struggle to understand bills.
It is hoped the service will be launched in April of this year.