We need fair notice on fuel bills

Energy companies would have to inform customers BEFORE they change their prices, under an amendment to the Energy Bill tabled by the Liberal Democrats last week.

Currently energy companies can increase their prices and they then have 65 working days to officially inform customers.  Once informed, customers get only 20 working days to change their tariff.    So this means that a customer can be paying a higher price for their fuel without knowing.  I don’t think that is fair.

Another amendment put forward by the Lib Dems is to make Ofgem publish a comparative table of all energy companies tariffs at least three times a year, making it easier for customers to ditch  uncompetitive deals and to curb the influence of energy companies on the regulator by requiring Ofgem to have a majority of people on its board who are not from the energy industry.

I am concerned about the size of bills that people will face – especially since it has been so cold this winter.  Energy companies have taken advantage of their customers for too long.   This government has not done enough to protect customers and to reduce fuel poverty.

More people in fuel poverty is a disgrace

Today the Government announced that the number of people in fuel poverty rose to 4 million in 2007.   This  means that millions of vulnerable people are being let down by a Labour Government whose attempts to tackle fuel poverty have failed.    Much of the explanation lies in the fact that ministers have shied away from tough action to make sure energy companies pass on lower wholesale prices in the form of reduced bills.   Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy & Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes, today said that the energy market should be investigated by the Competition Commission.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a change to the way units of energy are charged.  I want to see the unfair system that makes the first units of energy used the most expensive, reversed.  Those who use less should pay lower prices.

Also, with millions more people set to experience fuel poverty in the coming year, it is high time the Government accelerated efforts to get homes insulated so that every home is energy efficient by 2020.

I am very concerned for families in our area who may be cold in their homes because they are frightened what the bill will be – and for those who may be keeping the heating on by cutting back on other essentials.