40% of households in Scotland are considered to be in fuel poverty.
In his speech, Phil noted the negative impact fuel poverty has on health and educational attainment for children, including recent findings that adolescents living in cold homes are five times more likely to have multiple mental health problems than adolescents living in warm homes, and that children living in cold homes are twice as likely to have respiratory problems than those living in warm problems.
Fuel poverty is a result of three major factors- low household income, fuel costs, and the poor energy efficiency of homes.
Phil criticised the UK Government’s decision earlier this year to cut programmes designed to help households make their homes more energy efficient, such as the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, solar subsidies, and feed-in tariffs.
Commenting on the scope of impact fuel poverty has on every aspect of life, Phil said:
“The combination of mental and physical health problems, poor diet,
emotional turmoil and diminished educational attainment caused by fuel poverty
is a recipe for condemning people to the dreadful cycle of poverty. In essence,
they are poor and paying for it.”
Phil called for a fair deal for energy consumers to address
rising fuel costs. Commenting on the energy market, Phil said:
“The energy market is dominated by the big six, and the days of
standing by while they address their needs over those of consumers and make
massive profits while so many suffer from fuel poverty must come to an end.”
Phil further noted the ways in which the UK Government could
take practical measures to address low pay, stating:
“A living wage for everyone in work, not those just over the age of 25,
would allow young individuals and families to afford the rising costs of fuel.”
The full speech can be viewed below: