Hundreds of Fifers could face rising heating bills warns Rennie (BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats)

BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats <info@banffandbuchanlibdems.org.uk>

Hundreds of Fifers could face rising heating bills warns Rennie

July 28, 2009 8:55 AM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Hundreds of Fifers could face rising energy bills according to Kingdom MP Willie Rennie, after the Government refused to rule out a new tax on energy bills for heating oil and LPG users.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has specified that the payments for the Renewable Heat Incentive would be funded by a levy on suppliers of fossil fuels for heat, including heating oil and LPG.

Although DECC has not yet announced the size of the levy, industry experts have estimated that it is likely to be in the region of 15%. Mr Rennie has expressed his concern that the levy will lead to higher heating bills for the hundreds of Kingdom residents who use heating oil or LPG to heat their homes.

Commenting Mr Rennie said:

"Those who do not have access to mains gas or electricity are already excluded from the vast majority of the Government's fuel poverty schemes despite being far more likely to live in fuel poverty.

"Right now, heating oil users in Fife face a triple whammy of rising oil prices, a lack of regulation and a lack of support for investment in energy efficiency.

"It is frankly unbelievable that the Government should be unable or unwilling to rule out an extra tax on the very high fuel bills of these already hard up households.

"Although the summer is now well on its way, it's important that action is taken to help heating oil and LPG users now instead of waiting until the winter before it is too late."