As the Department of Energy & Climate Change fuel poverty consultation draws to a close next week, the Energy & Utilities Alliance is calling on government to extend the gas grid to help tackle fuel poverty.

‘Cutting the cost of keeping warm’ is the consultation to help government prepare a new fuel poverty strategy for England, which opened for comment on 22 July. The strategy will set out how government intends to achieve the new fuel poverty target for England as set out in the Fuel Poverty (England) Regulations 2014.

Mike Foster, chief executive of EUA said: “We welcome the current DECC fuel poverty consultation and accept that tackling fuel poverty is a complex issue, however we believe that extending the gas grid would have a major positive impact on many people lives.

“Currently 15% of the population, four million households across the UK are not connected to the gas grid and must rely on alternative sources of energy to heat their home.

“According to the Energy Saving Trust a typical three-bedroom house costs on average £975 per year to heat on mains gas, £1575 on heating oil, £2175 on bulk LPG and up to £3271 on electricity charged at a standard rate. They also tend to be older properties with solid walls and in more rural areas, which adds to the higher fuel bills.

“We are calling on the government to extend the gas grid, which will make a real difference too many people’s lives. ”