Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and the Border, England’s largest and most rural constituency, has called on the Government to make sure remoter rural communities don’t get left behind when rolling out support to keep people warm this winter.
The issue revolves around rural Britain’s unique situation whereby a large portion of households and businesses use heating oil and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to keep buildings warm who have seen huge price hikes in recent months. The Government is offering those off grid who rely on heating oil and LPG £100, a figure Dr Hudson is urging them to increase immediately as it does not reflect the hardship faced by people having to fill tanks at hugely inflated costs and often with a minimum bulk volume level of 500 litres.
The Cumbrian MP broadly welcomed the energy price support outlined in the Chancellor’s mini budget on Friday, which includes a price cap guarantee to protect against spiralling energy bills, as well as tax cuts to allow working people to keep more of their wage at the end of the month. That said, he has repeatedly raised with Ministers about providing bespoke support for the UK’s rural communities, such as those in Cumbria.
In recent days, Dr Hudson has raised the issue with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in an urgent meeting and has had further meetings with Ministers, urging them to support those who use heating oil or LPG. He has pledged to continue his campaign in Parliament and in Penrith and The Border to help those living in rural areas.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“I thank the Prime Minister for starting to address the issue of heating oil in rural communities like her own, as well as the sweeping support with energy bills for businesses and households alike. Clearly it is something the Government is aware of, but we simply need to do more considering just how volatile the market is right now. We are moving in the right direction but we need to go further and faster to make sure people are getting the support they need.
“Speaking frankly, I use heating oil at home in Brampton, so I’m very aware of the anxieties people are facing when they have to spend many hundreds of pounds to refill their tanks. The £100 support figure simply is not enough and I am urging the Government to address this as a priority for our rural communities. Let me assure my rural constituents who are not on the gas grid that they are being listened to and that I will continue to bang the drum for them at the highest level of Government.”
This recent development follows Dr Hudson’s well-documented campaigning on fuel costs, having called for a range of measures such as fuel duty cuts, direct action akin to pandemic support for businesses and households, as well as support against rising fertiliser costs and VAT action for the tourism and hospitality sector. These calls were repeated as recently as this month when Dr Hudson penned an urgent letter to Liz Truss and her incoming Government.
Other support includes a one-off £400 payment for all UK households, a price cap saving the average household £1,000 on bills as well as tailored support for disabled people, the elderly, and those in receipt of benefits.
To see what support is available for you, visit: helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk
