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Promised heating bills support for 500k households scrapped

Government U-turn leaves families facing heating bills double that of those protected by the Energy Price Guarantee

The national consumer champion for heat networks is criticising the government’s decision, announced on Friday, to scrap a promised emergency £100 payment to households on heat networks. It leaves 500,000 homes on communal or district heating systems paying around twice as much for heat as those with their own gas boiler heating system.

While Thursday’s fiscal statement announced some support for struggling families this winter, BEIS has since made a U-turn on specific help for heat networks customers.

Heat Trust, which runs a consumer protection scheme for homes that share communal or district heating systems, is asking the government to think again.

The consumer body previously warned that residents could receive winter heating bills as high as £1,000 a month.

Following the Autumn Statement, Stephen Knight, the Director of Heat Trust, said: “When we heard that the government would be doubling the ‘alternative fuel payment’ from £100 to £200, we thought that finally, it was good news for the 500,000 homes in this situation.

“To hear now that the meagre amount of support that had been promised to heat network customers has been snatched away at the 11th hour is a kick in the teeth for these customers, many of whom have been struggling to pay inflated and un-capped bills for the past year.”

These families are excluded from the Energy Price Guarantee because heat networks are not regulated by Ofgem. Although Heat Trust is already working with the government and Ofgem to design regulation and bring down bills, they say help cannot come soon enough.

Mr Knight confirms he has repeatedly heard promises of extra support from the then Business and Energy Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg during the Second Reading debate of the Energy Prices Bill, as well as from BEIS civil servants since.

“With at least half a million households on heat networks who will have to choose between eating and heating their home, these payments are a lifeline. It’s essential that the government rethink its decision and immediately reinstate this vital support.”

The government plans to expand the number of heat network schemes to cover up to 5 million households as part of its strategy to decarbonise heating.

 

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  2. Heat Trust urges sector to improve reliability and heat losses ahead of regulation
  3. Heat Trust sounds the alarm for half a million families and flat-shares not protected by energy price cap
  4. Heat Trust welcomes extension of energy bill support scheme to residents on communal electricity systems
  5. Report highlights best practice in supporting heat network customers in financial difficulty
  6. Heat Trust welcomes heat network provisions in Energy Bill ahead of second reading debate
  7. Urgent government support needed for residents with communal and district heating
  8. As Ofgem's price cap rises, urgent action still needed to protect half a million homes on heat networks
  9. Urgent action needed to protect half a million homes on heat networks
  10. Urgent action needed to protect half a million homes on heat networks
  11. Heat Trust response to government announcement on heat network regulation
  12. Heat Trust partners with Ofgem to prepare for regulation of heat networks
  13. Heat Trust calls on operators to join its scheme to get regulation-ready as it publishes its fifth annual report
  14. Heat Trust welcomes 100th heat network site
  15. Heat Trust calls on suppliers to live up to their promises on support for customers through the COVID pandemic
  16. Stephen Knight takes charge at Heat Trust
  17. Heat Trust calls on the industry to do more to support customers through the COVID pandemic
  18. Heat Trust responds to consultation on Green Heat Network Fund
  19. Extension to audit deadline for several sites
  20. ADE report highlights areas for improvement
  21. Transparency, pricing and quality of service standards are key to heat network regulation
  22. Heat Trust welcomes new Director
  23. Consumer champion hails success in raising standards for heat networks as complaints drop
  24. BEIS consultation embeds vital role of Heat Trust in the run-up to regulation
  25. Heat Trust reaches a new milestone as it publishes its third Annual Report
  26. Energy and Clean Growth Minister encourages membership of Heat Trust
  27. Heat Trust extends protection to more households
  28. Heat network customer protection scheme doubles coverage
  29. Heat Trust supports CMA’s final recommendation for heat network regulation
  30. Heat Trust welcomes CMA’s provisional recommendation for a regulatory framework
  31. Heat Trust welcomes recommendations from Heat Network Task Force to protect customers
  32. Heat Trust welcomes consumer survey findings and CMA study
  33. Heat Trust report highlights need for clearer bills
  34. Heat Trust welcomes on board Switch2 Energy Limited
  35. UK’s largest district heating scheme joins Heat Trust
  36. Consumer protection a vital part of Government’s heat network investment requirements
  37. Heat Trust launches first customer accessible Heat Cost Calculator
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  39. New heat customer protection scheme gets green light

 


The Heat Trust Scheme is operated by Heat Customer Protection Ltd, registered in England and Wales under company number 09456667.
Registered address: Heat Customer Protection Ltd, 6th Floor, 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0DX | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.