The End Fuel Poverty Coalition says the Labour government must do three things to avert a winter crisis: restore the Winter Fuel Payment axe, extend the Household Support Fund and overhaul a string of rules that are driving up gas and electricity bills.
First, the coalition wants chancellor Rachel Reeves to reverse her shock decision to axe the winter fuel payment for around 10million pensioners.
The controversial move will cost pensioners £200 each, rising to £300 if 80 or over. The Daily Express is also campaigning for Reeves to do a U-turn.
Campaigners are warning that without the Winter Fuel Payment “millions more older people face the prospect of spending this winter in cold damp homes”, risking a public health emergency.
The Household Support Fund was set up by the Tories to help the most vulnerable with their energy and food bills. It is due to end in September, but campaigners want PM Keir Starmer to keep it, too.
They also want Labour to overhaul the energy market, by slashing gas and electricity standing charges and capping punitive exit fees on fixed-rate tariffs.
Action is essential as bills are set to rise from October 1 when energy regulator Ofgem is expected to increase the energy price cap to £1,723 for a typical dual-fuel household that pays by direct debit.
This is up almost 10% from today’s £1,568, which will add £155 to the average bill, according to forecaster Cornwall Insight.
The new cap will be announced this Friday, August 23.
Fuel campaigners also want Labour to show it is on the side of consumers by reviewing nine rules they say are keeping energy bills high.
Under the Tories, Ofgem implemented six proposals by the Warm This Winter campaign’s Tariff Watch.
Campaigners say further reforms could slash standing charges from £334.08 a year to £183.02, a saving of £152.06.
The Warm This Winter campaign is also calling for a new social tariff to help struggling households, funded by contributions from energy company profits.
Many households are stuck paying pricey fixed-rate tariffs because their supplier imposes hefty exit charges if they move on.
Exit fees have increased by 345% in the last three years, with up to three million paying more than £100 to move on, and must be cut.
The Tariff Watch report also wants Labour to end 14 “obscure charges” to our electricity bills.
Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said this would “bring down energy bills, improve transparency and reset Britain’s broken energy system so it is on the side of consumers.
Francis also called on Labour to reduce energy debt, ramp up insulation programmes, end energy industry profiteering and extend The Household Support Fund. “The fund is one of the last lines of defence against poverty for hard-pressed families and vulnerable people.”
Fiona Waters, spokesperson for the Warm This Winter campaign, said the public is crying out for a fairer energy system. “With energy bills forecast to increase again in October, this problem is only going to get worse if Ministers do not step in now.”
Dylan Johnson, from Future Energy Associates, added: “More can and should be done by the energy regulators.”
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “We will fix our broken energy system by investing in clean power – guaranteeing our energy security and protecting people against price shocks.
“We will also support households to cut their bills and reduce fuel poverty through the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, and the Warm Homes Plan – upgrading millions of homes this Parliament.
“Too much of the burden of energy bills is on standing charges and we will work with Ofgem to reduce them.”
