Oral Answers to Questions

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 18th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)]

13. What estimate his Department has made of the number of families in fuel poverty.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

16. What estimate his Department has made of the number of families in fuel poverty.

[Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North) (Lab)]

18. What estimate his Department has made of the number of families in fuel poverty.

--- Later in debate ---

[Amanda Solloway]

It has been estimated that without the additional support, a further 350,000 households in England would have been in fuel poverty in 2022. Energy efficiency improvements remain the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term and contribute to long-term reductions in both energy bills and carbon emissions, in line with net zero.

[Vicky Foxcroft]

One of my constituents and his partner have two young children, one of whom has a medical condition. In August last year, they were charged £778 for gas and electricity—18 times the bill of £43.15 from the previous February. My constituent is living in fuel poverty and struggling to feed his family. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that families requiring high energy usage medical equipment do not fall into fuel poverty?

[Amanda Solloway]

I share the hon. Lady’s concern. I have been meeting various stakeholders, including representatives of citizens advice bureaux, to discuss how we can mitigate the situation, but I should add that we have been providing unprecedented support throughout.