Caroline Flint MP, Labour’s Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, commenting on the Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics Report, which shows that the number of households in fuel poverty is projected to increase to 2.33 million and the fuel poverty gap – the difference between people’s bills and what they can afford – has grown to £480 in 2014, said:

“These figures reveal the full scale of the cost-of-living crisis. Fuel poverty is rising and the gap between people’s bills and what they can afford growing too, yet David Cameron is doing nothing to stand up to the energy companies or reform the energy market.

“To help people with their energy bills, the next Labour Government will undertake the biggest overhaul of our energy market since privatisation. Our plans will break up the big energy companies, put an end to their secret deals and create a tough new regulator with the power to force companies to cut their prices when wholesale costs fall. And until these reforms kick in, we will put a stop to unfair price rises by freezing energy bills until 2017, saving the average household £120.”

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