Call to extend social energy tariffs

Mark Lazarowicz MP, chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on debt and personal finance, has called on the Government to do more to make affordable energy available to low income households.

Lazarowicz (pictured), MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, is working with groups including Energywatch and Barnardos to campaign to improve energy tariffs. There are several social energy tariffs on offer already although they are not always the cheapest available.

In Parliament yesterday (October 11), Lazarowicz referred to a recent Ofgem report into socially-oriented policies and highlighted the variations in different tariffs. He said that it was “strongest argument yet for Government to legislate”.

The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform John Hutton has agreed to meet with the MP and representatives of consumer groups to discuss the issues.

Lazaorwicz says: “Hard pressed consumers should not be left to the lottery of different suppliers offering wildly varying levels of help. I am pleased that the Government is still considering a range of options for inclusion in the forthcoming Energy Bill but it is absolutely necessary that social tariffs be given a prominent role in any future legislation in this area.”