We’re backing the national ‘Warm This Winter’ campaign, calling on the government to provide emergency support, help to upgrade homes and access to cheap energy to lessen reliance on gas and oil.
With the energy crisis leaving 7 million UK households in fuel poverty this winter, the campaign is demanding more action from the government on:
- Emergency support now: Providing a new package of financial support to people who without urgent action will be on the front-line of poverty this winter.
- Help to upgrade homes: Launching a new, properly-funded programme of home upgrades and insulation across the UK to bring down bills and prevent energy waste.
- Cheap energy: More than triple the amount of renewable energy in the UK by 2030, including wind and solar generated in harmony with nature, so that we can permanently lower bills.
- Free us from oil and gas: Stop approving new oil and gas fields so that we can escape our dependence on volatile fossil fuels.
Call for government action
Leader of the Council, Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, said: “It’s completely unacceptable that so many of our most marginalised residents are being forced to choose between heating and eating this winter.
“We’re backing the ‘Warm this winter’ campaign to call for firm government action to support the many suffering under the UK's broken energy system. This is one of the many things we’ve agreed to do to keep the crisis in the inboxes of ministers.
“Everyone deserves to be warm in their own home but soaring energy bills mean that many are struggling to heat their homes.
“The city council is committed to do everything we possibly can to support residents. This includes working with organisations across the city to provide warm places to go and indoor activities; providing support and advice for residents and working with the Brighton & Hove Energy Services Cooperative so residents can access low energy lights and draught excluders to help bring down fuel costs.
“But our cash is limited, and many support services in the city are struggling to keep up with demand.
“We’ve been warning since Autumn last year that winter alongside the cost-of-living crisis would see Brighton & Hove’s residents urgently need meaningful government action.
“In our letters to government ministers we’ve been clear they need to follow a different path. This isn’t just about the Treasury not opening the purse strings, it’s also about unwillingness of ministers to understand how hard the crisis is for residents.”
Council support for the campaign was agreed as part of a package of action to lobby government for more urgent and sustained support to help residents through the cost of living crisis at the Policy & Resources Committee in October.
Help with energy
We’ve pulled together information on support with energy bills and advice about how to keep your home warm and save energy in our support with the cost of living web pages.
This includes information about whether you’re eligible for discounts on energy bills, and advice and tips and about saving energy and keeping your home warm.
Our warm welcome directory has information about free indoor activities and places resident can go across the city this winter to keep warm.
We’ve also got information on emergency help and money advice and health and wellbeing support.
Brighton & Hove Cost of Living Crisis appeal
We worked with Brighton & Hove Citizen Advice and Brighton & Hove Food Partnership to help set up a cost of living appeal – aiming to raise money to help residents struggling with food and energy costs through vouchers, food parcels, and low energy items like electric blankets and slow cookers.
The Just Giving campaign has raised almost £70,000 so far. Thank you to everyone who has donated.
To find out more or donate to the appeal, visit the Brighton & Hove Cost of Living Crisis Appeal JustGiving page.
