Charities call for fuel relief

A group of seven charities has teamed up with consumer group Energywatch to lobby Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown as he announces his Budget today (Wednesday).

The Child Poverty Action Group, End Child Poverty, the Disability Alliance, Help the Aged, Age Concern, Citizens Advice and National Energy Action have joined Energywatch to demand more support for those on low incomes as the cost of domestic energy bills soars.

The group says bills averaging &£1,000 are “changing a warm home from a basic necessity to a luxury item for the worst off”.

Since 2003 energy bills have risen by 63.3% for gas and 44.2% for electricity, undermining the Government’s commitment to eradicate fuel poverty by 2010.