Tuesday 17 May 2011

Which? worried consumers will pay for carbon reduction

As the business community waits with baited breath over Chris Huhne's expected carbon budget, Which? have said that it is the consumer who is likely to suffer the most.

The Energy Secretary is expected to set harsh goals this afternoon and while green groups welcome the high targets, the government have not told consumers how much more they are likely to be paying in their bills- a fact those in the energy industry have already widely accepted.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which? said: "Consumers need a guarantee that the government is not writing a blank cheque on their behalf to reduce carbon emissions. We urgently need more clarity from the government about how much this will cost, how that cost will be passed on to consumers and whether it will be capped."

The consumer champions are concerned that household energy bills, which have risen steeply in the last decade, may be about to rise further and have said government needs to be honest about the effect of their actions

Mr Lloyd said: "With energy prices almost double what they were in 2004, and future price increases predicted just last week, many of us are already struggling to keep up with rising costs.

"The government needs to be honest with consumers about what these changes will mean for them, and to ensure that energy efficiency programmes really help people to reduce their bills."