New law to help OAPs with fuel cost

The Government is planning to reform data protection laws so pensioners in fuel poverty can be contacted directly and offered help.

The move is one of a series of measures being unveiled to help vulnerable and elderly people with their fuel bills.

The proposals will see assistance given to households to improve their energy efficiency, cut costs and ensure they are on the best value tariff with their gas and electricity providers.

But campaigners criticised the plan for being a mere "reshuffling" of old ideas that did not go far enough to alleviate fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty is said to occur when a household pays more than 10% of its income on energy bills.

Among the measures being announced is a plan to tell energy companies which people are struggling most with their fuel bills so they can be offered assistance.

Energy minister Malcolm Wicks said he appreciated the matter would have to be dealt with "sensitively", but it was important to help as household bills continue to rise.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "One of the best ways to tackle fuel poverty is to make sure the heat, and the fuel that is used as it's so costly, keeps people warm and doesn't go out the window.

"The problem has been that because of data protection laws we haven't always been able to say to the electricity or gas company 'This is the person that needs that help', so we're taking measures ... to reform the Pensions Bill that's going through Parliament at the moment so that we can cut through some of these data protection issues."

Mr Wicks said people would be approached by their energy companies and offered the assistance.