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Written Question
Fuel Poverty
Thursday 26th January 2023

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are at risk of falling into fuel poverty in the next 6 months.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The latest official Fuel Poverty Statistics for England were published in February 2022 concerning 2020 data and projected estimates for 2021 and 2022, and can be found on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics#2020-statistics.

Updated statistics of the number of households in fuel poverty for 2021 and projection estimates for 2022 and 2023 will be produced in the 2023 annual fuel poverty statistics.


Written Question
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Friday 18th November 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of removing eligibility to the Warm Home Discount Scheme for recipients of Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payments on the care needs and health conditions of people in receipt of those benefits.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Households in receipt of means-tested benefits with high energy costs based on certain characteristics of their property will be eligible for the rebate under the Warm Home Discount scheme. Around 62% of Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance recipients receive a means-tested benefit; those with high energy costs would be eligible for a rebate.

As a result of expanding and reforming the scheme 160,000 more households where a person has a disability or long-term illness will receive a rebate each year.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate
Friday 18th November 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many vouchers issued to those on prepayment meters in October as part of the Energy Bills Support Scheme have not been redeemed as of 14 November.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Prepayment meter customers should have received their first Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) discount voucher. These have been sent by SMS text, email or post.

Suppliers are reporting to BEIS on scheme delivery, including the redemption of prepayment meter vouchers. These figures will be published in due course.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate
Friday 11th November 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to boost the redemption of vouchers for the Energy Bills Support Scheme discount for customers using traditional prepayment meters.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Suppliers should take action to encourage all traditional pre-payment customers to redeem their EBSS payment vouchers during the scheme month. Vouchers are valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Replacement credit vouchers can be issued, but must be redeemed by the scheme closing date of 30 June 2023.

Suppliers have an obligation to provide evidence to BEIS of taking action to encourage pre-payment customers to redeem their issued vouchers. Suppliers should make a minimum of three attempts to contact customers who have not redeemed their payment.

If a customer requests that an expired voucher is reissued, suppliers should comply with the request as long as it is made ahead of the end of scheme date.


Written Question
District Heating: Energy Price Guarantee
Tuesday 18th October 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance his Department has provided for people on communal heating systems who may be hosting refuges on the energy price guarantee.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government announced that it will effectively cap the price of heat sold by communal and district heat networks through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme this winter by reducing the commercial prices of energy used by these schemes.

Those who sponsor refugees have the option to receive a monthly payment of £350 for up to 12 months, paid in arrears, for as long as you are hosting your guests and provided that the accommodation provided is of a suitable standard. Hosts will be eligible for the first monthly payment once the local council has visited to check the standard of the accommodation.


Written Question
Charities: Energy Price Guarantee
Tuesday 18th October 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if the Government will provide specific advice to small charities on the effect of the energy price guarantee on those organisations.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government understands the pressure charities and other voluntary organisations are facing with their energy bills, which is why immediate action has been taken to support them over the winter. The details of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme were announced on 21 September 2022, initially running for 6 months covering energy use from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. Non-domestic customers, including charities do not need to take action or apply to the scheme as support will automatically be applied to eligible customer bills. Suppliers will inform eligible customers about the amount of discount being applied as appropriate.


Written Question
Personal Independence Payment: Warm Home Discount Scheme
Tuesday 20th September 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of removing eligibility for the warm home discount scheme from people who receive Personal Independence Payments on their ability to meet the costs of heating their homes.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Around 62% of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) recipients also receive one of the qualifying means-tested benefits and so would be considered low-income under the Core Group 2 criteria. Those with high energy costs would therefore be eligible for a rebate. The Government’s analysis shows that 160,000 more households, where there is a person with a disability or long-term illness, will receive a rebate each winter compared to the previous scheme.


Written Question
Energy Company Obligation: Disability
Monday 25th April 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has been made of the impact of his Department’s decision to disqualify some disabled people from support through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme on those who will no longer be eligible once the change comes into place.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The current Energy Company Obligation scheme, ECO4, has been designed to focus support on households with the lowest incomes and alleviate fuel poverty. This includes households with disabled people on the lowest incomes. The scheme is designed to improve the energy efficiency of homes, through the installation of insulation or heating measures, rather than provide a specific financial benefit. The scheme is delivered by energy suppliers, and eligibility for the scheme does not guarantee support.


Written Question
Energy: Prices
Monday 25th April 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to encourage energy suppliers to identify and support disabled customers with their energy costs.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In the Sustainable Warmth Strategy, the Government outlined how it considers the needs of low-income households when designing fuel poverty policy.

Under the Warm Home Discount scheme, Ofgem reports on the Industry Initiatives supporting vulnerable households through measures including benefit entitlement checks and debt write-off. The 2020-2021 report is available at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-10.

Ofgem requires energy suppliers to support disabled customers through a Priority Services Register. Their most recent report is available at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2021-10/Ofgem%20Consumer%20Protection%20Report%20Autumn%202021_Final.pdf.


Written Question
Energy Supply: Disability
Monday 25th April 2022

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of support provided by energy suppliers to disabled customers through programmes such as benefit entitlement checks and debt write-off.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In the Sustainable Warmth Strategy, the Government outlined how it considers the needs of low-income households when designing fuel poverty policy.

Under the Warm Home Discount scheme, Ofgem reports on the Industry Initiatives supporting vulnerable households through measures including benefit entitlement checks and debt write-off. The 2020-2021 report is available at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-10.

Ofgem requires energy suppliers to support disabled customers through a Priority Services Register. Their most recent report is available at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2021-10/Ofgem%20Consumer%20Protection%20Report%20Autumn%202021_Final.pdf.