Give us a Chance!

Fuel Poverty is a big issue that's increasing all the time. Depending on where you get your statistics as many as 1 in 4 households could be considered fuel poor. The definition of Fuel Poverty covers those who spend more than 10% of their income on fuel, yes try working that out! Without accurate financial information that a lot of people quite rightly don't want to divulge its almost impossible. So we are left to guess and try to identify those people who really need help. The Department of Health have just offered up a few million to local authorities in their Warmer Homes Healthy Lives scheme aimed at trying to solve the problem. On first glance that would seem a good thing to do particularly in the current financial crisis. The only problem is the money needs to be spent by March! That has left LA's racing around over Christmas trying to find some way of spending their money. Understandably under those circumstances any scheme is going to be hit and miss and I fear in my area it will be more miss than hit. Surely the way to approach this is to look at long term solutions. Insulation, ensuring the correct tariffs apply trying to stop energy companies profiteering on pre payment meters etc not applying a quick band aid this year which will be nowhere to be seen in 12 months time. As the saying goes "give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day give him a fishing rod teach him how to fish and you could feed him for life." Here's hoping one day our politicians and civil servants will wake up and take note.