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| Pensioner fuel bills 'a disgrace' | Pensioner fuel bills 'a disgrace' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Half of Britain's pensioners are said to be cutting back on other things to pay annual fuel bills averaging £1,100. | Half of Britain's pensioners are said to be cutting back on other things to pay annual fuel bills averaging £1,100. |
| A survey by energy comparison website uSwitch indicated that two million over-60s spent more than a tenth of their income on fuel. | A survey by energy comparison website uSwitch indicated that two million over-60s spent more than a tenth of their income on fuel. |
| One in five were concerned their health would suffer as electricity and gas price rises outstripped pensions. | One in five were concerned their health would suffer as electricity and gas price rises outstripped pensions. |
| Experts warn the government may not meet its pledge that every pensioner could afford a warm home by 2010. | Experts warn the government may not meet its pledge that every pensioner could afford a warm home by 2010. |
| We need action now to put an end to this national disgrace Ann Robinson, uSwitch | We need action now to put an end to this national disgrace Ann Robinson, uSwitch |
| uSwitch's consumer policy director Ann Robinson told BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme: "The government will not meet its target for taking vulnerable people out of fuel poverty by 2010. | uSwitch's consumer policy director Ann Robinson told BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme: "The government will not meet its target for taking vulnerable people out of fuel poverty by 2010. |
| "Even with the price cuts we are seeing there are still going to be well over a million who can't afford a warm home. | "Even with the price cuts we are seeing there are still going to be well over a million who can't afford a warm home. |
| "That is why we need action now to put an end to this national disgrace." | "That is why we need action now to put an end to this national disgrace." |
| Money Box listener Paulene explained how she coped. | Money Box listener Paulene explained how she coped. |
| "I have it on the lowest, lowest temperature I possibly can for a little bit in the evening," she said. | "I have it on the lowest, lowest temperature I possibly can for a little bit in the evening," she said. |
| "My children tell me how cold my house is. I don't even like cooking and using all that gas. I'd rather quickly warm food up in the microwave. | "My children tell me how cold my house is. I don't even like cooking and using all that gas. I'd rather quickly warm food up in the microwave. |
| "It's a worry at the back of your mind all the time." | "It's a worry at the back of your mind all the time." |
| Superhuman effort | Superhuman effort |
| The chairman of the government's own Fuel Poverty Advisory Group, Peter Lehmann, agrees that the government will find it tough to meet its target. | |
| "2010 is only three years away," he told the programme. | "2010 is only three years away," he told the programme. |
| "You can't put in enough energy efficiency measures in time. Therefore as well as stepping up these measures, prices must be reduced for vulnerable groups and a superhuman effort made to improve the take-up of existing benefits such as Pension Credit." | "You can't put in enough energy efficiency measures in time. Therefore as well as stepping up these measures, prices must be reduced for vulnerable groups and a superhuman effort made to improve the take-up of existing benefits such as Pension Credit." |
| In the uSwitch survey, carried out by pollsters ICM, one in five elderly respondents were in fuel poverty, defined by the government as spending at least 10% of their income on fuel bills. | In the uSwitch survey, carried out by pollsters ICM, one in five elderly respondents were in fuel poverty, defined by the government as spending at least 10% of their income on fuel bills. |
| Nearly one in three (30%) were cutting back on essentials to pay their bills, and nearly one in four (23%) were turning down the temperature to keep their bills down. | |
| In 2001 the government published a legally binding "Fuel Poverty Strategy" which committed it to eradicating fuel poverty for vulnerable groups including pensioners by 2010. | In 2001 the government published a legally binding "Fuel Poverty Strategy" which committed it to eradicating fuel poverty for vulnerable groups including pensioners by 2010. |
| In a statement the Department for Food and Rural Affairs admitted that more than three million people were still in fuel poverty and that "the attainment of our fuel poverty targets by the dates set out... remains very challenging". | In a statement the Department for Food and Rural Affairs admitted that more than three million people were still in fuel poverty and that "the attainment of our fuel poverty targets by the dates set out... remains very challenging". |
| BBC Radio 4's Money Box will be broadcast on Saturday, 10 February at 1204 GMT. | BBC Radio 4's Money Box will be broadcast on Saturday, 10 February at 1204 GMT. |
| The programme will be repeated on Sunday 11 February 2006 at 2102 GMT. | The programme will be repeated on Sunday 11 February 2006 at 2102 GMT. |