Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what options she has considered for creating a dedicated funding stream for alternative support mechanism for households in fuel poverty excluded from the Warm Homes Discount.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households who are in fuel poverty.
If they are not eligible for a rebate, consumers may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, energy efficiency measures and benefit entitlement checks.
The Government has also introduced the £1 billion Crisis and Resilience fund which replaces the Household Support Fund in England, providing support with cost-of-living pressures. We recommend any household struggling to pay for their essentials contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the number of households experiencing fuel poverty excluded from the Warm Homes Discount because they do not have a direct relationship with an energy supplier.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households. We have to balance the needs of those in fuel poverty with bill impacts on other consumers. We estimate that 5.9 million households will receive a WHD rebate in 2026/27. We have no evidence to indicate whether households in receipt of a qualifying benefit but without a direct relationship with an energy supplier are more or less likely to be fuel poor than those households in receipt of WHD.
Consumers who do not receive a rebate may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, and benefit entitlement checks.
The Government has also introduced the £1 billion Crisis and Resilience fund which replaces the Household Support Fund in England, providing support with cost-of-living pressures. We recommend any household struggling to pay for their essentials contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that low-income households living in sub-metered accommodation can access equivalent support to that available through the Warm Home Discount.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the challenges faced by low-income households whose energy is supplied through sub-metering arrangements.
Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount requires the bill payer, or their partner, to receive a qualifying means-tested benefit and to be named on the electricity bill. Where tenants are not named on the bill, they may be unable to receive the rebate. The Government has confirmed that the £150 Warm Home Discount will continue until winter 2030/31 and will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households without a direct domestic supply relationship.
Tenants may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy efficiency measures, energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, and benefit entitlement checks. The government has also introduced the £1 billion Crisis and Resilience fund which replaces the Household Support Fund in England, providing support with cost-of-living pressures. We recommend any household struggling to pay for their essentials contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will review the eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount to ensure that people who would otherwise qualify for support are not excluded because their energy is supplied through a sub-meter.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the challenges faced by low-income households whose energy is supplied through sub-metering arrangements.
Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount requires the bill payer, or their partner, to receive a qualifying means-tested benefit and to be named on the electricity bill. Where tenants are not named on the bill, they may be unable to receive the rebate. The Government has confirmed that the £150 Warm Home Discount will continue until winter 2030/31 and will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households without a direct domestic supply relationship.
Tenants may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy efficiency measures, energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, and benefit entitlement checks. The government has also introduced the £1 billion Crisis and Resilience fund which replaces the Household Support Fund in England, providing support with cost-of-living pressures. We recommend any household struggling to pay for their essentials contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of fuel poverty on households with sub-metered energy supplies that are not able to access the Warm Home Discount.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the challenges faced by low-income households whose energy is supplied through sub-metering arrangements.
Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount requires the bill payer, or their partner, to receive a qualifying means-tested benefit and to be named on the electricity bill. Where tenants are not named on the bill, they may be unable to receive the rebate. The Government has confirmed that the £150 Warm Home Discount will continue until winter 2030/31 and will keep under consideration how energy support can most effectively reach households without a direct domestic supply relationship.
Tenants may also be supported through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. These include energy efficiency measures, energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments, debt write-off, and benefit entitlement checks. The government has also introduced the £1 billion Crisis and Resilience fund which replaces the Household Support Fund in England, providing support with cost-of-living pressures. We recommend any household struggling to pay for their essentials contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with energy providers, including Bunch Energy, on improving customer services.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes the issue of the quality of customer service offered by suppliers very seriously. The Supplier Licence conditions set down by the industry regulator Ofgem require suppliers to meet certain conditions with respect of customer enquiries. These include offering a range of methods to meet the needs of customers, and be available to receive enquiries and offer assistance, guidance, or advice at times that meet the needs of customers.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular meetings with stakeholders on a range of issues. Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support customers with the cost of their energy bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the Budget we committed to taking money off energy bills and we have. Ofgem has confirmed that the price cap will fall by 7% or £117 annually for the period covering April to June. The price cap for that period is fixed and will not change.
In addition to this, around 6 million families are benefitting from the expansion of the £150 Warm Home Discount, and through the Warm Homes Plan the Government is delivering the biggest investment in home upgrades in British history.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of ending the Energy Company Obligation scheme on employment in the North West.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such as heat pumps, solar PV and batteries. The government is providing an additional £1.5 billion—taking planned capital investment to almost £15 billion—to upgrade low‑income homes and scale clean home‑energy technologies. Deployment will be further supported through wider policies and details of this will be set out soon in the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle deforestation.
Answered by Katie White - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK strongly supports global efforts to protect forests, including advocating for the international commitment to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, while supporting livelihoods and economic development. Through diplomacy, partnerships and development programming, we are working to improve forest governance, sustainable trade and investment, and to mobilise finance to protect and restore the world's major tropical forest basins.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government intends to support the Tropical Forest Forever Facility at COP30.
Answered by Katie White - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the importance of protecting tropical forests and welcomes Brazil’s leadership in developing the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) ahead of COP30. The UK has supported the development of the TFFF through technical assistance. The Government continues to consider its position regarding a financial contribution to the Facility.