Energy price cap increase: Renfrewshire Lib Dems call for energy social tariff

Following confirmation from Ofgem that the price cap for energy bills is set to rise by a further 6.4% from April, Scottish Liberal Democrat Anne Hannigan, the councillor for Paisley Southwest, has called for the introduction of an energy social tariff to protect vulnerable people living in fuel poverty.

Scottish Liberal Democrat research recently found that 96% of Scottish adults who are worried about the cost of heating have changed how they heat their homes this winter, to help keep bills lower.

During the Scottish Budget process, Scottish Liberal Democrats secured the reinstatement of a winter fuel payment for pensioners in Scotland, after the UK government had taken this support away from millions of pensioners.

It was recently discovered that fuel poverty in Scotland is at record levels, with around 861,000 households (34%) in fuel poverty.

Anne Hannigan, the councillor for Paisley Southwest said:

"This latest increase in the energy price cap is the reason why Scottish Liberal Democrats prioritised securing a winter fuel payment for pensioners in Renfrewshire in the Scottish Budget after it was shamefully removed by the UK Labour government.

"However, there is more that needs to be done, as it was recently discovered that fuel poverty was at record levels across Scotland. That is a scathing indictment of the SNP government's failure to roll out insulation and other energy efficiency measures to households across Renfrewshire. At the current rate under the SNP's flagship scheme, it could take 100 years to insulate every home in Scotland.

“We need to see greater action from the Scottish Government to get to grips with rolling out insulation to cut bills for families in Renfrewshire and the UK Government must now implement an energy social tariff to protect the many vulnerable people in Renfrewshire who are living in fuel poverty.”