Energy price cap: Stop dithering and start insulating

Commenting ahead of tomorrow’s (26 August) energy price cap announcement by Ofgem, Friends of the Earth’s head of policy Mike Childs, said:

“With millions of people already struggling with rocketing energy bills, the government should stop dithering and start insulating.

“There are almost five million households in England and Wales without even basic measures such as loft or cavity wall insulation, which means their homes rapidly lose heat and cost more to keep warm.

“A nationwide, street-by-street home insulation programme, focussing on those most in need, would slash energy use, reduce climate-changing pollution and could cut energy bills by £1,000 or more each year.

“The next prime minister must put the long-term future of the country first, end their fossil fuel fixation, and build a future based on energy efficiency and developing our cheap, almost limitless, homegrown renewable resources.”

Earlier this week, Friends of the Earth published new research revealing nearly 9,000 communities who will be most affected by spiralling energy costs. The ‘energy crisis hotspots’ release is here.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. A Friends of the Earth briefing on the need for street-by-street energy saving measures, including insulation, can be viewed here. This briefing also contains a list of the 30 top local authority areas with the most energy crisis hotspots.

2. A full list of energy crisis hotspots by local authority area can be downloaded here.
 

3. In England and Wales there are 4.83 million homes that would benefit from loft insulation and there are 4.43 million homes that could be fitted with cavity wall insulation.

4. Friends of the Earth is also calling for a tougher windfall tax, without loopholes that allow fossil fuel firms to pay a much lower rate. This could help pay for a nationwide home insulation programme.