Inverness MP Drew Hendry calls on UK government to end 'unfair' energy surcharges levied at homes in the Highlands which has one of highest rates of fuel poverty
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Unfair energy surcharges levied at Highland homes should be ended, according to Inverness MP Drew Hendry.
Mr Hendry joined others in voicing concerns about fuel poverty in the Highlands which has one of the highest rates in Scotland while also paying more for electricity than anywhere else in the UK.
Amid growing worries more will face the bleak choice of eating or heating this winter, the Inverness Courier has launched a new End the Chill campaign.
It comes against a background of spiralling energy costs, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic which has hit many household budgets plus the removal of the £20 uplift to Universal Credit payments.
Mr Hendry fears a “winter storm of misery” for people struggling to pay their fuel bills.
“Fuel poverty is always a huge concern throughout the winter months, and it’s why I continue to call on the UK Government to put an end to unfair energy surcharges levied at Highland homes,” Mr Hendry said.
“We are in a preposterous situation where we generate the electricity, pay more to transmit it, and get it back.
“In the Highlands, we already pay more for electricity, add that we have a higher proportion of households off the grid, the surge in energy prices, rising food costs, Tory cuts to household incomes and Universal Credit, and we have a perfect winter storm of misery.”
He continued: “Fuel poverty is everywhere in our community.
“It hits those who work as well as those on social security, it hits people with disabilities especially hard and has a hugely detrimental effect on children living in households affected by it.”
Mr Hendry also recently chaired an inquiry looking into the impact of fuel poverty on the terminally ill.
“It was devastating to hear about how many of them spend their last days in fuel poverty,” he said.
“They are already having to face this difficult period on back of having cuts to their Universal Credit.
“To make the impact needed to tackle fuel poverty, the UK Government needs to end its attack on the poorest in our society or give the Scottish Government the fiscal levers to tackle these issues.”
Mr Hendry said it was going to be an exceptionally tough winter for many hard-pushed families and urged anyone struggling to get in touch with his office.
“My team and I are here to help and we will do our best to point you in the right direction for help,” Mr Hendry said.
End The Chill campaign launched to help fight fuel poverty
