As Oldham Borough residents face massive hikes in fuel bills this winter, local Liberal Democrats are furious that the Warm Homes Discount, which helps our poorest residents heat their homes, will only go up by £10.
Liberal Democrat councillors Hazel Gloster and Dave Murphy will be calling upon Oldham Council at the next meeting (15 December 2021) to support a demand to the UK Government that the Warm Homes Discount be increased to meet the new reality.
Councillor Hazel Gloster will be proposing the motion: “Homeowners face up to 40% price increases this year while many of our oldest and poorest residents have seen the Conservative Government betray their promise to increase state pensions by the Triple Lock and also scrap the £20-per-week Universal Credit top-up for the needy.”
“For many people, this winter will be a time of survival as they struggle to heat and eat, but the Warm Homes Discount which at least represents some additional funding for making ends meet, is now wholly inadequate to the task.”
Councillor Dave Murphy is supporting a motion to the Council. He added: “Whilst we welcome the fact that the government have promised to make more households eligible for the Warm Homes Discount, the £10 increase is wholly inadequate given the unprecedented increases in fuel bills this year.”
“The £140 Warm Homes Discount has not been properly adjusted to reflect increased gas and electricity prices for nine years and in that time household bills have sky-rocketed. And many people do not even know it exists. Oldham Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to increase this grant by a meaningful, rather than a marginal, amount, and do more to ensure that those who can get it can access the cash.”
