Formidable new local partnership in Brent demands warm homes for all

Some of the campaigners at Kilburn Square last Saturday

 

Campaigners from a new coalition of local organisations fighting for warm homes in Brent gathered at Kilburn Square on Saturday 3rd December as part of a national day of action on the energy price crisis. 

Local organisations that are part of the new partnership include a formidable list of local organisations and campaigns including  Advice4Renters, Brent Fairtrade Network, Brent Friends of the Earth, Granville Community Kitchen, Harlesden Mums who Cycle, Harlesden Neighbourhood Forum, Kilburn Neighbourhood Plan Forum, Kilburn Unemployed Workers, Sufra NW London and Transition Town Kensal to Kilburn.

The local partnership, United for Warm Homes Brent - which launched in November - aims to unite communities and organisations across the area that are working towards a common goal: warm homes that don’t cost the Earth. 

The national day of action was coordinated by the campaign Warm This Winter, which United for Warm Homes Brent is supporting as part of a UK-wide day of events pressuring the government to take swift and transformative action to stop people going cold this winter and beyond. 

With around six million people predicted to be in fuel poverty this winter, campaigners are urging the government to take stock and listen to the common sense solutions that will both lower skyrocketing energy bills and cut harmful carbon emissions. 

That means additional financial support for those struggling to afford to heat their homes to ensure people stay warm and well during the colder months. 

But longer-term solutions, that will bring down bills for good and prevent a year-on-year energy price crisis, are badly needed. Campaigners are urging the government to rapidly roll out a national programme to fix the UK’s poorly insulated homes, which are among the worst in Europe. This is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to bring down the nation’s energy bills. 

This should be done alongside reaping the UK’s full renewable power potential and scaling up the production of cheap, popular clean energy. Combined, these measures can slash energy prices, keep homes warm and reduce the amount of carbon unleashed into the atmosphere.

The event on 3^rd December saw volunteers from United for Warm Homes Brent displaying placards with the group’s goals and talking to local people about the campaign.

Simon Erskine, one of the co-ordinators at United for Warm Homes Brent, said:

The colder days are drawing in but the worst months are yet to come – and still the government has no credible plan to ease the pain of the cost of living crisis for millions of people, or lower our energy bills for good. 

Even with the package of financial support announced by the last PM, the number of people facing fuel poverty this winter has more than doubled compared to last year. Clearly, there are too many facing bleak and difficult months ahead and in desperate need of support. 

But going beyond the short-term and rolling out the measures that will help to lower bills for good must also be at the top of the government’s agenda. By committing to a nationwide insulation programme and a plan to rapidly ramp up the production of cheap, clean and popular renewable energy, the government can slash energy bills, cut carbon emissions and keep each and every one of us warm.