New energy company to combat fuel poverty

Liverpool City Council is looking to set up its own energy company to help people save on their fuel bills. Government Opportunities

The council’s cabinet is being asked to approve proposals to start the process of setting up a company providing energy to Liverpool households which, as well as cutting costs to householders, would also improve energy efficiency  across the city and look to develop innovative ways of generating energy.

This move comes  as the latest figure show one in seven households in the city live in fuel poverty  and over 70,000 households  – a third of all in the city –  use costly pre-payment meters  which are estimated to cost an extra £226  a year compared with those who use the cheapest direct debit tariff.

It is proposed that a new company -provisionally known as “the Liverpool LECCy” -would sell gas and electricity at a lower cost than other suppliers as it would operate on a not for profit basis and would have low overheads.

It would also look to replace the current costly pre-payment meters with Smart pay-as-you-go alternatives, which as well as enabling householders to  manage their energy consumption better will also help cut CO2 emissions.

And it would explore innovate ways of generating energy including  potentially using the River Mersey.

The Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:

“Cutting fuel bills is one of most significant ways we can help provide real and lasting benefit to Liverpool people.

I want us to do something practical to help tackle fuel poverty, which is why we’re setting up this energy company – the Liverpool LECCy – which will be owned by and run for the people of the city, giving them a cheaper alternative energy provider.

It’s absolutely heart-breaking how many families in this city are reliant on expensive prepayment meters and are, in effect, being penalised by paying more for their energy than those who are able to use direct debit, especially as single parent families are the hardest hit.

As government welfare reforms bite further we will do all we can to step-in and help families from falling further into poverty. The LECCy company is a practical response to that I hope people will get behind the idea.”

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