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August 2008
> Harvest Housing Group Demand Fair Energy Costs
Ian Perry, Chief Executive of Harvest Housing Group has this week called on local MPs to back a campaign that aims to stop energy firms failing their poorest customers and is asking them to raise the issue of pre-payment tariffs directly with Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks.
Harvest Housing Group is contacting local MPs during Energy Action Week (1–5 September 2008) in an attempt to turn the heat up on the suppliers. Several cross-party MPs have already been contacted who are all showing support for the campaign.
Pre-payment meter customers can pay up to £300 more than households who are able to access the best deals online, despite being among the energy companies poorest customers. They can also pay up to £90 more for their gas and electricity than quarterly billed customers.
Chancellor, Alistair Darling acknowledged the plight of Britain’s five million pre-payment meter customers in the Budget when he called on energy suppliers to give them a ‘fairer deal’. However, the firms have repeatedly ignored warnings from ministers to lower their pre-payment charges – prompting Harvest Housing Group to urge local MPs to press the Government into taking action.
Commenting on the campaign, Ian Perry said:
“People who use pre-payment meters often have to pay more than other consumers for their electricity and this is simply not fair. Harvest Housing Group takes the welfare of its residents very seriously and by highlighting this issue we can save them money and make their lives more comfortable.”
David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation said:
“We’ve already had warm words from the Government on ending the pre-payment meter premium. What we need now is firm action – and that means bringing pre-payment tariffs into line with standard credit bills. If Government proposes anything less than that, it will be failing millions of low income energy customers”.