‘Motorists face £250-a-year tax to park at work’

THE TELEGRAPH – 22/08/2010

This article suggests that a number of Local Authorities are exploring options for introducing a workplace parking levy, including those in Bristol, York, Devon, Hampshire, Leeds, Bournemouth, South Somerset and Wiltshire. The article expresses scepticism regarding the motivations behind such a levy; whether it is meant as a means for tackling congestion and cutting carbon emissions, or rather as a mechanism primarily for revenue-raising. Read the article…

‘22% of city residents have fears over heating home’

THE SCOTSMAN – 25/08/2010

This article reports on the findings of a survey of over 1000 residents commissioned by the Edinburgh city council, revealing a decline of 8% in the number of people that said they could always afford to heat their homes. Over 80% of the respondents expressed concern about rising energy bills, and only 72% said they could always afford to heat every room in their home. Read the article… 

A separate article in the Guardian indicates that Suffolk, Northumberland and Nottinghamshire contain the most areas of fuel poverty in rural England. It describes a new energy scheme, the ‘Future of Rural Energy England’ (FREE), which is funded by energy company, Calor. The scheme aims to work at the community-level to provide tailored advice to those paying out the biggest percentage of their household incomes on fuel, enhancing understanding of the energy options available to them. Working with National Energy Action (NEA) and the Rural Community Action Network (ACRE) across England, Calor will find energy officers who will offer independent advice to off-gas grid households and communities in order to help improve energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint. View the FREE webpage…

‘Bishop promises to give away £250 Winter Fuel Payment’

THE TELEGRAPH – 26/08/2010

This article highlights comments made by the Bishop of Jarrow, that he and older people who have jobs ‘simply do not need’ the annual £250 Winter Fuel Payment, pledging instead to give his payment to a church charity.

This builds on calls from the Consumer Council for an urgent review of the Winter Fuel Payment to ensure it adequately targets people living in fuel poverty. Aodhan O’Donnell, director of Policy and Education at the Consumer Council, states that ‘the fact remains that many who don’t need it, also get it. If we are serious about tackling fuel poverty in an era of reduced Government spending, we need to make sure that the money spent is making an impact it needs to eradicate fuel poverty’. Read the article and a related article in the Spectator.