Age Cymru welcomes the news from the UK Government that VAT will be cut from household energy bills, but warns that much more needs to be done to address the rising cost of living crisis ahead of this winter.
Victoria Lloyd, CEO of the older people’s charity, Age Cymru, said:
“Any extra help with their energy bills will be welcomed by older people, who we know worry hugely about the cost of fuel and often ration their heating, putting their health at risk, to ensure they can make ends meet.
“With energy prices volatile due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, this cut should at least help soften the impact of any future rise in wholesale prices. However, there’s much more we can and should be doing as a country to make it easier for older people to afford to heat their homes through the winter.
“In Wales, we know that fuel prices continue to be a heavy burden on many older people. This is in part due to the higher energy needs of older people but also because they are more likely to live in older, less energy-efficient properties, as Wales has the oldest and least thermally efficient housing stock in Europe.
“Energy support has failed to keep pace with rising energy costs and is insufficient for the scale of the financial challenge that significant numbers of people will face this winter.
“We believe there are potential solutions that would provide meaningful help for those who need it. For example, the UK Government could increase the value of the Warm Home Discount, and widen the eligibility beyond only those in receipt of means-tested benefits to cover households on low incomes.
“This will help ensure that support can reach older people who are struggling but who currently fall between the eligibility gap, and miss out.”
