Campaign Against Fuel Poverty

This years’s price rises

4 Jan - Npower
Gas up 17.2%, electricity up 12.7%

15 Jan - EDF Energy
Gas up 12.9%, electricity up 7.9%

18 Jan - British Gas
Gas and electricity up 15%

1 Feb - Scottish Power
Gas up by 15%, electricity up 14%

7 Feb - E.On
Gas up 15%, electricity up 9.7%

19 March - Scottish & Southern
Gas up 15.8%, electricity up 14.2%

5 July - EDF Energy
Gas up 22%, electricity up 17%

30 July - British Gas
Gas up 35%, electricity up 9%

21 Aug - Eon
Gas up 26%, electricity up 16%

21 Aug - Scottish & Southern
Gas up 29.2%, electricity up 19.2%

29 Aug - Scottish Power
Gas up 34%, electricity up 9%

29 Aug - Npower
Gas up 26%, electricity up 14%

“More money for us”
E.On boss Mark Owen-Lloyd commenting on how high energy prices will affect his company if we have a harsh winter this year.

A million more households slide into fuel poverty
by Louise Nousratpuor

CAMPAIGNERS warned on Thursday that a shocking rise in the level of fuel poverty will condemn thousands of people to die of cold this winter unless the energy industry is renationalised.

Don't die of hypothermia until March
by Mark Steel

The government tells us it wouldn't make sense to impose a one-off tax on the energy companies, as this would be a short-term measure that fails to address the long-term problem. And, to be fair, there's a logic to this. So, a decent compromise that might get round this difficulty would be to impose a tax on the pigs EVERY year, or if that still didn't sort it, every week – or maybe every 25 minutes.

Millions go cold while fuel companies’ profits soar
Bumper payouts for the rich while families suffer

Every year 25,000 older people die from preventable cold-related illness. This year, due to the massive fuel price increases, even more will die unless immediate steps are taken by the government.

5.5 million households live in fuel poverty –spending more than one tenth of their income on fuel bills.

The number of pensioner households in fuel poverty has more than doubled since 2004, now affecting 2.5 million households, or one in three pensioners.

2.5 million older people are so poor that they live in one room to keep warm and save costs in winter. Two million are forced to wear outdoor clothes inside their own homes.

The six main UK energy companies saw their combined profits rocket from £2 billion in 2006 to £4.3 billion in 2007. So far in 2008 their profits stand at over £3 billion and they are set to reap a further £11 billion over the next four years.

Shareholders and company directors have had bumper payouts while average fuel bills for families have jumped by 38%.

We demand:

· A windfall tax on the energy companies.
· A payment of £500 to every family living in fuel poverty this winter.
· The reversal of all household gas and electricity price increases to 2007 levels.
· No disconnections. No surcharge for pre-payment meters.
· Free insulation immediately for all living in fuel poverty.
· Increase the pension to £151 per week
· Pay increases in line with inflation.
· Bring the energy companies back into public ownership.

(Please note: the above is a provisional statement as the campaign, whilst urgent, is in its very early stages. Discussions are under way with a variety of organisations and individuals and so changes may occur in due course.)