A LOCAL politician has urged the Welsh Government to support vulnerable households living in fuel poverty this winter.
Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, Jane Dodds MS called for the Welsh Government to speed up their Warm Homes programme to ensure that houses across Powys are kept warm.
According to a recent report from the Bevan foundation, it will take 136 years to address all fuel-poor households in Wales.
The Mid and West Wales MS also criticised the UK Labour Government for failing to reverse cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance, which will see many Powys Pensioners go without support this festive season.
Statistics from the Department of Working Pensions have revealed that 10,728 of those aged over 80 in Powys are at risk of losing support payments due to cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance.
Commenting on the need for the Welsh Government to support vulnerable Powys households this Winter, Jane Dodds MS said that it was “imperative that we ensure our most vulnerable are not left to fend for themselves this winter.
In Powys alone over 10,000 people will be forced to make the difficult decision of paying exorbitant heating bills or face the cold due to Labour’s cruel cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance.
These are not just faceless statistics, each figure represents someone who will be waking up on Christmas Day cold and scared.
This isn’t right and I am disappointed to see that Labour politicians in both Westminster and Cardiff Bay have seemingly abandoned their responsibilities when it comes to our most vulnerable.
We must do more to eradicate fuel poverty throughout Wales by reversing these cuts and ensuring that Welsh households are fuel efficient, so that we can make sure that those most in need of our help are being supported both this winter and beyond.”
