PEOPLE in the area are paying out more than £30 million above what they should be to heat their homes because of poor insulation, new research has found.
The huge figure, taking in the whole of Oldham, means many face a choice of ‘heat or eat’ because of what is being called the ‘Government’s failure.’
Analysis shows 55 per cent of homes across the borough have received poor energy efficiency ratings (EPC Bands D-G) since 2008.
These households pay an average of £931 more a year than those with a Band C rating. Meanwhile, those on the lowest energy efficiency ratings pay nearly £1,350 more a year.
It means that in total, households in poorly insulated homes in Oldham are set to pay an estimated £30,670,638 more in energy bills a year.
The Government’s target is for all homes to be Band C or better by 2035 but Saddleworth West and Lees councillor Sam Al-Hamdani has slammed the statistics.
In some areas over four in five families are living in leaky homes.
The Liberal Democrat, whose party did the research and is calling for an emergency programme to insulate our homes, bringing down bills and improving energy security, said: “This Government’s failure to tackle our cold and leaky homes has piled misery on top of the cost of living crisis.
“It has left families in Oldham struggling to heat their homes and put food on the table.
“Now is the time for this new Conservative Prime Minister to make our homes warmer. If they don’t, we are facing another energy crisis in the future.
“An emergency package of support is needed to fix Oldham’s leaky homes and cut energy bills in the long term.”
The Liberal Democrats say nationally, 13 million homes across the UK have poor energy efficiency ratings, leaving some households paying nearly £1,900 more than needed.
They say the total cost because of the lack of insulation is an eye-watering £13 billion.
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