At the beginning of January 2023 we launched our open letter to the Prime Minister. The letter was signed by over 230 organisations, faith groups, Councillors and residents. We posted our letter at the beginning of March and were pleased that to see the energy price cap had been extended in the Spring Budget, however we need a long-term plan for transitioning to renewable energy and we urgently need a street by street insulation programme.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who signed the letter and we hope you will continue to support our campaign.
Letter to the Prime Minister
Dear Prime Minister
Millions of UK households will struggle to keep warm this winter due to soaring energy prices and homes that are damp, cold and expensive to heat. Without additional targeted support an estimated 6 million people could face fuel poverty in 2023.
The UK has some of the worst household insulation in Europe and Birmingham is an area where this is particularly bad. Twenty-two percent of households in Birmingham currently live in fuel poverty. However, that number is set to increase because of the rising cost of living and soaring energy bills.
The Government needs to take urgent action!
We are calling on the UK Government to:
- Provide urgent additional financial support to keep people warm.
We appreciate that measures have been put in place to help people through the next few months but for many the measures are not sufficient to protect them from severe hardship and risk to their health. The government must put in place greater targeted support for those experiencing fuel poverty in 2023 and 2024. This support should also target those in poverty who do not receive means tested benefits so they do not miss out on additional support. Energy social tariffs should be mandated urgently.
- Fund an emergency programme to insulate people’s homes.
Installing insulation could help save up to 20% on bills and keep homes warm. The government urgently needs to fund an emergency programme of insulation and energy saving measures to enable councils across the UK to deliver a street by street insulation programme. A £15 billion government funded programme over three years is desperately needed to ensure that the programme is free of charge to all households, starting in low income neighbourhoods (including privately rented properties).
Measures should include:
- loft and cavity wall insulation
- draught-proofing
- thermostatic radiator valves
- smart heating controls
- energy audits, to help determine which improvements would be best for which homes.
- Transform the failed energy system to one that works for people and the planet, not profit.
Birmingham and the UK have to get off dependency on gas, oil and coal and make use of the endless renewable energy sources (wind, solar and tidal power) all around us.
Signed,
Birmingham Friends of the Earth
Climate Action Network West Midlands
Nechells POD
Sparkhill Foodbank
Fareshare Midlands
Eco Birmingham
Hodge Hill Church
Birmingham Mind
CEQ Peace Hub
Bahu Trust
Islamic Foundation for Ecology & Environmental Sciences
Retrofit Balsall Heath
Acocks Greener
Councillor Max McLoughlin – Green Group and Opposition Leader: Solihull MB Council
Councillor Julien Pritchard
Councillor Saima Ahmed
Councillor Roger Harmer
Councillor Kerry Jenkins
Councillor Mary Locke
Councillor Izzy Knowles
Councillor Colin Green
Councillor John Cotton
Councillor Lauren Rainbow
Councillor Majid Mahmood
Councillor Diane Donaldson
Councillor Jane Jones
Councillor Shabina Bano
Councillor Waseem Zaffar
Councillor Barbara Dring
