Water is unquestionably essential to all aspects of life, and so it is vitally important that all households are supported to ensure they have access to safe, clean and affordable water – something which the United Nations recognise as a human right.

Fuel Poverty Charity, NEA has urged all the key stakeholders with responsibility for delivery of services to ensure that all our efforts are co-ordinated to support people to stay warm and well this winter.

NEA agrees with the proposals to extend the scheme, as is, for a further year. This process must be expedited. We broadly agree with many of the proposed changes to Industry Initiatives, but warn that increases to fuel voucher provision will result in reductions in valuable provision of energy advice, income maximisation and energy efficiency measures, which NEA believes is an undesirable outcome.

A joint report from NEA and Waterwise

Following on from the June 2020 NEA policy paper “The Gathering Storm: Utility Debt and Covid-19”, this paper provides an evidence synthesis of personal debt, both prior and post the Covid-19 outbreak, with a focus on the shift from consumer debt, such as loans and credit cards, to household debts, such as arrears with utility providers, offering a comparison of known debt levels in energy, water and local government.

A new paper published on National Stress Awareness Day is warning UK debts owed to government and utility providers are set to soar due to the impacts of Covid.

Following on from the June 2020 NEA policy paper “The Gathering Storm: Utility Debt and Covid-19”, this paper provides an evidence synthesis of personal debt, both prior and post the Covid-19 outbreak, with a focus on the shift from consumer debt, such as loans and credit cards, to household debts, such as arrears with utility providers, offering a comparison of known debt levels in energy, water and local government.

NEA’s Response to the BEIS Consultation on a Green Gas Levy. NEA disagrees with the introduction of a new levy on gas bills to pay for green gas projects, and believes that this should be paid for out of general taxation. If the proposals were to be taken ahead for a new levy, NEA believes that this should be constructed in distributionally fair way instead of the proposed flat rate for all users.

NEA recognises that many low-income households experience affordability issues with their essential household bills, rarely struggling with one bill in isolation, and as a result is delivering a programme of work which seeks to support ‘People Living in Water Poverty and Fuel Poverty’.