Take action in January on fuel poverty: no more winter deaths!
Since July 2021, half a million court warrants have been granted to force people onto prepayment meters, including a case of 500 warrants being granted in less than four minutes. The government has heard evidence that people will die as a result of this practice, yet has so far refused to take any action. We can’t let up the pressure.
In 2022, our energy bills – and company profits – doubled, and over two million people were forced into fuel poverty. In the grip of winter, the government is still making political choices that are causing lives to be lost.
Later this month, the Office for National Statistics will publish its data on "excess winter deaths" from last year – including the number of people who died as a result of being unable to warm their homes adequately. Every year, this number is in the tens of thousands.
So, we’re joining forces with Fuel Poverty Action and other groups again to take action.
Don’t Pay, along with Fuel Poverty Action, the Warm this Winter Coalition, and others, will be taking action to demand the Government bans forced switching to prepayment Meters and implements “Energy for All” . For Don’t Pay groups, this is also an opportunity to bring strikers and supporters together to build solidarity and bring more people into the strike.
Warm Ups
On January 21st, organise or participate in a Warm-Up protest. Warm-Ups were started by Fuel Poverty Action on the principle that if we can’t afford to heat our homes, we have the right to go to any public building and keep warm there. See this guide to organising one.
Warm-Ups so far expected in:
- Edinburgh – Meet at 9.50am outside Canongate Kirk.
- Exeter – Meet 12pm at the bottom of Grenadier Road, EX1 3QN.
- Liverpool – Meet 11.30am at Pier Head by the Ferry Terminal.
- London – Meet 12pm at Cavendish Square Gardens, W1G.
- Birmingham (Jan 22nd) – Meet 11am outside Octopus Energy Sales Hub.
Contact e4a@fuelpovertyaction.org.uk if you’re interested in Warm-Ups.
Media Pack
You can use this press release guide created by Fuel Poverty Action to amplify your Vigil or Warm-Up.
See the social media pack to connect actions together online.
#BanForcedPPMs #EnergyForAll #ColdHomesKill #EndWinterDeaths
Take Action Digitally
Sign and share the 38 Degrees petition calling on energy companies to stop forcing customers onto prepayment meters!
Use this template text to phone (020 7219 8497) or email (shappsg@parliament.uk) Grant Shapps’ office demanding the government #BanForcedPPMs.