New research released by YouGov has revealed that across the country, millions of Disabled people and those living with a serious health condition are spending this winter living in cold and damp homes, many for the first time.
YouGov’s findings were released off the back of the Warm this Winter day of action which saw a UK wide day of action on fuel poverty take place on November 3.
The figures show that up to 15% of vulnerable people have “self-disconnected” from their heating, meaning they are not topping up their meters with credit.
YouGov findings reveal that because of disconnection, fuel rationing, and reducing energy supply almost a quarter of vulnerable people are now living in cold damp homes.
This research follows on an investigation from the iNewspaper this week which found that some of nation’s biggest gas and electricity companies have actioned debt collecting companies to force their way into properties to forcibly install prepayment meters in the UK’s poorest homes.
Dan White one of the leads at the Disability Poverty Campaign Group and policy and campaigns officer at DR UK said: “The reputation of energy firms and the watchdog seem to sink lower every week. All these investigations and findings should be the ones to finally put an end to this crisis, it can’t humanly continue like this for families and individuals. If all this wasn’t enough it has now been confirmed that Energy UK, the industry body that represents most of the energy providers, has been investigating people this winter about potential energy theft. The industry seems to be as cold as the winter around us and action is needed now.”
The EFPC advises anyone who is contacted about a pre-payment meter installation to contact the Good Law Project who are looking to challenge these transfers.
For more information, see Forced pre-payment meter transfer available from endfuelpoverty.org.uk.
