Deaths From Fuel Poverty Must End

Liberal Democrats in Chesterfield will be travelling to the party conference in Harrogate this weekend to back a move to make housing in Chesterfield warmer, greener and more affordable.

The Liberal Democrats' plans that will be debated on Sunday (March 4th) would:

• Help lift pensioners and disabled people out of fuel poverty;

• Cut the number of excess winter deaths in the East Midlands;

• Make it easier for families to insulate their homes and cut fuel bills;

• Aim to more than halve the amount of polluting carbon emissions produced by homes in Chesterfield.

A recent government study found 101,000 households living in fuel poverty in the East Midlands, 5.7% of all households in the region. Government statisticians have calculated that, across the East Midlands, there were 2000 excess winter deaths, of whom 1800 were pensioners.

Local Liberal Democrats are backing a motion that would see fuel bills for local people fall dramatically and carbon emissions from homes cut by over half by 2050.

Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield said:

"Making Chesterfield a greener, cheaper and more sustainable community must be a top priority.

"I am travelling to Harrogate with my Liberal Democrat colleagues to back a move to cut carbon emissions from homes by more than half. This would save families in Chesterfield a lot of money currently being poured into the gas and electricity companies' pockets."

"Many people in Chesterfield can't afford to heat their homes properly. 2000 people in the East Midlands died last winter who shouldn't have. It's disgraceful that pensioners can't afford to heat their homes.

"I want to see help targeted to enable older people and those with disabilities to increase the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce their fuel bills.

"Standardised packages including a range of insulation, draught-proofing and window, heating and light replacement would help improve the energy efficiency of all homes.

"It should be simple maths: less energy wasted equals lower fuel bills, fewer excess winter deaths, less pollution and a greener local environment."