FoE: Climate and families suffering

Friends of the Earth's low carbon homes campaigner Ed Matthew says the government's strategy on fuel poverty is "incompetent and lacks vision".

The environmental charity is filing an application a judicial review challenging the government with Help the Aged on its legal obligation to eradicate fuel poverty.

At current rates 2010 targets to cut fuel poverty completely in vulnerable homes are unlikely to be met, an impending failure Mr Matthew believes is the government's fault.

"Today we take the government to the high court to make it put an end to the misery of fuel poverty," he said.

"By failing to back the highest levels of energy efficiency in the homes of the fuel poor, the government has missed an opportunity to both end fuel poverty and bring down carbon emissions."