Bristol union calls for action on fuel poverty

Union members in Bristol have called for more to be done to eradicate fuel poverty.

It's as households brace themselves for across-the-board increases to bills, with the average annual cost of gas and electricity expected to go up by £111.

Protest events are being held across the UK in around 40 locations with Unite members joining with other fuel poverty and pensioner groups to campaign for nationalisation.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "It's time to end the chaos in our energy network, which allows profiteers to flourish while workers and communities are left in the cold.

"No one should ever have to choose between heating and eating. We believe it is time for public ownership and for fuel poverty to be consigned to the dustbin of history," he added.

"We want to see nationalisation," said Tom Baldwin from Bristol, "a return of the energy sector to public ownership so prices can be set affordably.

"Fuel poverty will mean that some people will have to cut back drastically or they won't be able to keep the heating on and that will have very big health consequences for people."

"I recognise this is very unwelcome news for people," said Tim Jarvis, the director general at OFGEM.

"The reason for this rise is primarily about the international cost of gas, over which we have very little control."

The increase comes as bills across the board are set to increase, including water, council tax and broadband.

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