Low income customers to get help with utilities bills

05/08/2008

Utilities firms and ministers are making efforts to help Britons on low incomes, as prices continue to rise.

Some of Britain's poorest energy customers are to have their costs reduced by an upcoming £2.75 billion home insulation programme, current government proposals suggest.

The scheme would see money raised from energy companies used to improve the insulation of homes of those on low incomes, thereby improving efficiency and lowering their bills in the long term.

Discussions are also currently ongoing as to whether or not the pre-existing £2 billion winter fuel allowance for pensioners should be extended by ministers to cover low income families, the Guardian reports.

Plans to impose windfall taxes on providers and plough them back into helping the fuel poor are not thought to be favoured by chancellor of the exchequer Alistair Darling, however.

Meanwhile, water firm United Utilities, which serves customers in the north-west of England, announced the launch of a special fund for customers having difficulty with paying their bills today.

A total of £2 million has been set aside by the firm for this purpose, the BBC reports.

Tags; Housing Debt and Bills, Young Family Finances, Retirement Money Problems,

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