About 800,000 of Britain’s poorest families should qualify for a £120 discount on fuel bills through the Warm Homes Discount scheme. However, only 25,000 will actually benefit because of a lack of investment from the six leading energy companies, according to Save The Children.
More than half of low-income parents of children under 16 fear their child’s health will suffer because they cannot afford to heat their home, the charity said. ‘Without this help the choice for parents is stark: cut back on food, get into debt or risk their children’s health,’ said chief executive Justin Forsyth.
Stunted growth and asthma rates rise sharply among children in cold and damp homes, the recent Marmot Review found. Suppliers’ trade association Energy UK said: ‘Far more than 25,000 families will get help from their energy companies this year. Almost £180million was spent last year on voluntary schemes to help nearly 2million of the most vulnerable customers, and that figure will increase to £250million this year.’