Today marks Fuel Poverty Awareness Day.

Brighton & Hove City Council are members of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition thanks to a motion Labour Councillors gained support for at Full Council earlier this year, and it’s something we must all redouble our campaigning efforts to combat.

Nobody should have to choose between heating and eating, but fuel poverty is at such levels that that impossible choice is one that faces many in the UK today.

Fuel poverty is caused by low income, high fuel prices, poor energy efficiency, unaffordable housing and poor quality private rental housing – a range of issues that Labour is lobbying the Conservative Government to address.

In administration here locally, we took steps to address energy efficiency, unaffordable housing and poor quality private rental housing with our new City Plan and more robust enforcement and landlord licensing. We also championed the Brighton & Hove Living Wage.

The urgency of tackling fuel poverty has never been higher.

According to Public Health England, there is clear evidence on the links between cold temperatures and respiratory problems. Resistance to respiratory infections is lowered by cool temperatures and can increase the risk of respiratory illness. Crucial, in the midst of a pandemic of a respiratory Coronavirus.

On #FuelPovertyAwarenessDay let’s recommit to creating #WarmSafeHomes and ending fuel poverty once and for all.