Over half the population in England (54%) say they are unhappy or very unhappy with the level of support for energy bills which is now available. Just 12% say they are happy or very happy with the support on offer. [1]
The research from the Warm This Winter campaign comes as candidates have been confirmed for the local elections taking place across England in May.
Council candidates have been urged to sign up to a pledge to help end fuel poverty as part of their campaigns.
The pledge, created by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, calls on council candidates to improve the energy efficiency of Council and housing association housing stock if elected.
Prospective candidates signing the pledge also commit to backing better enforcement of existing regulations on energy efficiency and property standards in the private rented sector and campaigning to reform Britain’s broken energy system.
The polling suggests that dissatisfaction with energy bills support stretches across the political divide with 43% of Conservative voters living in England, 67% of Labour voters, 57% of Lib Dems, 58% of Brexit / Reform voters and 51% of Greens unhappy with the help on offer. [2]
Councillors and council candidates can find out more about the pledge online at https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/end-fuel-poverty-councillor-pledge/
A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition which is part of the Warm This Winter campaign, commented:
“While many of the solutions to Britain’s broken energy system lie at the door of the Westminster Government, local authorities also have a role to play in beating fuel poverty.
“From providing advice to residents and taking action on housing stock, to using their influence in political parties to call for change, councillors can have a powerful voice in making life better for their constituents.”
At the start of April hundreds of people took action in a mass lobby of politicians to call for change at a national level, with over 80 events taking place at MPs constituency offices across the UK calling on them to sign the Warm This Winter MP pledge.
People affected by the energy bills crisis should initially contact their energy firm or Citizens Advice for help.
ENDS
This news story relates to England only.
[1] 2,196 people interviewed between 20th and 21st March 2023. Results were weighted to be representative of the GB population.
How happy are you about the level of support for energy bills from 1 April 2023?
Very happy: 2%
Happy: 10%
Neither happy nor unhappy: 25%
Unhappy: 26%
Very unhappy: 28%
Don’t know: 8%
[2] Based on self-declared 2019 voting behaviour, England-based respondents only.