Help the Aged: Fuel poverty strategy a fiasco

The government's efforts on fuel poverty have been dismissed as a "fiasco" by older person's charity Help the Aged.

Its special adviser Mervyn Kohler said older people were "all too often" the "casualties" of the government's failings.

"For those living in fuel poverty, the daily reality often means pain and misery, illness and even death," he commented.

His charity is filing a joint application with Friends of the Earth for a judicial review at the high court, challenging the government on its efforts to improve domestic energy efficiency.

"When fuel costs fell, the government was happy to take the credit for a fall in fuel poverty," Mr Kohler added.

"Now that the energy market has changed, it must take responsibility for its inadequate and passive response."