Helen Morgan calls on Government to re-open energy support scheme

Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has signed a motion in Parliament calling on the Government to re-open the energy support scheme for off-grid households.

It comes after data revealed that only one in six of the eligible households were able to claim the much-needed money.

North Shropshire is one of the areas in England with the highest proportion of residents living off grid, an issue the MP has consistently highlighted in discussions around energy support.

Helen fought for extra support for off-grid homes ahead of last winter and has helped residents across North Shropshire access the support they are eligible.

As temperatures drop, the new motion highlights that many households will face continued pressure this winter because of high energy bills. The Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding was intended to help an estimated 900,000 households which do not pay an energy supplier directly for their electricity.

As of the end of May this year, only 16% had claimed, with £300 million being returned to the Treasury. Helen Morgan is now calling on the government to ensure that households who missed out be able to claim support immediately.

Helen Morgan MP said, “We had to campaign hard to get funding for off-grid households as Ministers dragged their feed, and now the data shows that support wasn’t given to anywhere near as many people as it should have been.

“The scale of those not claiming support is enormous – 84% of those eligible didn’t see a penny, even though may had a really hard time over last winter.

“Many people in our most rural communities face another difficult winter with energy bills still high. The least the government could do is to re-open this scheme so that those who missed out have a chance to benefit.”