The Warm Home Discount could leave hundreds of thousands of consumers out in the cold, Consumer Focus has said.
It claims that as the scheme applies to low income pensioners, it is up to energy firms to offer other vulnerable customers the discounts, which could mean that many of the poorest families and disabled people will be at risk of having no help to pay their energy bills.
However, the watchdog did welcome the new scheme, which when it comes into effect in April, will offer discounts of £130 to households in fuel poverty.
The group has called on the government to extend the scheme to recognise vulnerable children, adults and disabled people. This could reach around 3.5 million households rather than the two million predicted by the government.
Jonathan Stearn, energy expert for Consumer Focus, commented: “Leaving it to energy companies to decide who gets this help is not the way to develop a consistent and strategic approach to helping those in fuel poverty.
“This scheme represents a great opportunity to take a major step forward toward a coherent fuel poverty strategy.”
Posted by Emily Thomas
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