Family friendly working practices, including flexible working patterns, part time working and school friendly hours, will demonstrate a commitment to balance the needs of customers with the importance of caring roles played by staff towards their children and other dependants
Energy Action Week
September 2, 2008
ENERGY ACTION WEEK - 1st to 5th September.
Come to the Community Resource Centre on Friday 5th September 08 between 10.30 am and 3.30 pm to find out about changing your energy suppiler, saving money on fuel bills and how you can help stop the increasing fuel costs.
Stafford & Rural Homes is calling on local MP(s) David Kidney & Bill Cash to back a campaign, which aims to stop energy firms ripping off their poorest customers.
Amanda Nicklin, Housing Choices Manager, of Stafford & Rural Homes has asked David Kidney (MP) & Bill Cash (MP) to raise the issue of prepayment tariffs directly with Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks.
Prepayment meter customers can pay up to £300 more than households who can 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.
The Government acknowledged the plight of Britain’s five million prepayment meter customers in the Budget when he called on energy suppliers to give them a ‘fairer deal’.
But the firms have repeatedly ignored warnings from ministers to lower their prepayment charges – prompting Stafford & Rural Homes to urge David Kidney (MP) & Bill Cash (MP) to press the government into taking action.
Hundreds of housing associations across the country have also written to their local MPs during Energy Action Week in an attempt to turn the heat up on the suppliers.
The nationwide campaign has been organised by the National Housing Federation, the trade body for housing associations in England.
Research carried out by the Federation last month found 14% of gas pre-payment meter customers and 9% of electricity pre-payment meters, had ‘self disconnected’ over the last year because they could not afford to top up their meter.
Amanda Nicklin, Housing Choices Manager said:
“People who use pre-payment meters often have to pay more than other consumers for their energy and this is simply not fair. Stafford & Rural Homes takes the welfare of its tenants very seriously and by highlighting this issue we can save them money and make their lives more comfortable.”
“With energy prices increasing for the second time this year, David Kidney (MP) & Bill Cash (MP) must raise this issue with the Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks as soon as possible as pre-payment meter customer can least afford to pay the to pay the most to heat and light their homes.
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 prepayment tariffs into line with standard credit bills. If Government proposes anything less than that, it will be failing millions of low income energy customers."
-ENDS-
Your Feedback
How do you rate this information / service?
