LGA: 'fight poverty and pollution'

20 August 2008

Council leaders are being urged to lobby their local MPs in support of an LGA campaign aimed at reducing carbon emissions, fuel poverty and energy bills.

A national home insulation programme would lift 500,000 people out of fuel poverty – defined as having to spend more than 10% of income on maintaining a warm home.

It would also cut £200 off the energy bills of 10 million households, and reduce domestic carbon emissions by 20%.

The leaders of all four political groups at the LGA have written to councils in England and Wales asking them to lobby their local MPs over the proposals – part of the association’s ‘Small change, big difference’ climate change campaign.

The LGA wants councils to be at the centre of the insulation scheme. It would be funded by the six main energy suppliers matching pound for pound the existing contribution households are already making through their bills to cut carbon emissions.

The scheme would generate an extra £500m a year, with industry watchdog Ofgem ensuring the costs are not passed onto consumers.

David Shakespeare, leader of the LGA’s Conservative group, said: “These proposals to fight fuel poverty and cut carbon emissions have councils at their core. It is only local government, with its intricate knowledge of the country’s housing stock, that can deliver a national home insulation programme.

 “Councils are on the front line in the fight against climate change. The LGA group leaders are now urging all council leaders to lobby their local MPs to build up a groundswell of support for our proposals. A national home insulation programme is the best long-term solution to the two challenges of fighting fuel poverty and cutting domestic carbon emissions.”

To lobby your MP - start with our useful template:
Fight poverty and pollution - word template for letter from Council Leaders to local MPs (Word doc, 22KB)