Oral Answers to Questions

Luke Akehurst Excerpts

Tuesday 15th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Michael Shanks]

I completely agree. The right hon. and learned Gentleman is absolutely right: there are no technical barriers to doing it, but that does not mean that it is a straightforward process. To be honest, things that I thought would have been much more straightforward, like how we define “community”, are more difficult to get right, but we are absolutely determined to do it. He is right to make the point about delivering clean power that benefits local communities, so that they can buy it locally and really see the benefit of hosting it. That is exactly what we are determined to do and we will continue to work to make it happen.

[Luke Akehurst (North Durham) (Lab)]

12. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the warm home discount to all households in receipt of means-tested benefits on people receiving those benefits.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)]

We know that households are under huge pressure with the cost of living, and energy costs are a big part of that. The expansion of the warm home discount scheme will mean that nearly 3 million more families will receive vital support with their energy bills this winter. This will provide much-needed help at a time when people desperately need it.

[Luke Akehurst]

Will the Minister confirm how many residents in my North Durham constituency will benefit from the extension of the warm home discount to all households in receipt of means-tested benefits?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

Sadly, we do not have data at constituency level, but I can tell my hon. Friend, who is a brilliant champion for his constituency, that around 100,000 extra households in the north-east will benefit from the expansion—an increase of around 50%.