Government urged to support households and cut fossil fuel use as bills soar

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Juliet Phillips, senior policy adviser at climate think tank E3G, said: “Energy security starts at home: this means supercharging a renovation wave to cut energy bills and permanently reduce the exposure of families to volatile international gas markets – boosting energy efficiency and rolling out electric heat pumps. “The Chancellor and Prime Minister must seize the moment and push forward an ambitious, long-term plan to support warmer, healthier homes which are cheaper to run.” Parents are telling us that they're struggling to meet basic needs, leaving them having to make impossible choices between heating their homes and buying clothes for their children Dan Paskins, Save the Children Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: “This is a fossil fuel crisis, and new fossil fuels from the likes of fracking or new North Sea oil and gas aren’t going to solve our problems. “We can reach true energy freedom and stand up to Putin, but that needs the Government to back properly funded measures to support households, accelerate renewables, and properly fund home upgrades to reduce our use of gas altogether.” And Dan Paskins, director of UK impact, Save the Children UK, warned: “Parents are telling us that they’re struggling to meet basic needs, leaving them having to make impossible choices between heating their homes and buying clothes for their children, and children are paying the price. “In the upcoming Spring Statement, the Chancellor has an opportunity to ease this burden on families by uprating benefits in line with April’s inflation rate, and invest to keep homes warm and bring fuel bills down.” A Government spokesperson said: “We are providing support worth £21 billion this financial year and next to support people with costs of living, including a new £150 council tax rebate from April and another £200 energy bill discount in October for the majority of households.