Pitching in

On the other side of the pond, they had a novel idea. The companies that have made billions in the energy sector get to pitch in to help low income individuals afford to be more energy efficient, allowing them to save money on bills as well as the environment.

Power companies will be forced to spend £3bn of their profits helping customers save energy under government plans expected to lead to lower fuel bills for pensioners.

Householders will be issued with eco-friendly lightbulbs, anti-standby devices designed to ensure TVs are properly turned off and home insulation under the scheme to be unveiled this week. Designed to help combat global warming by reducing carbon emissions from homes, it should, however, also offer families a chance to cut their bills as a result of reducing energy use.

This is the sort of thing that doesn’t happen often enough. There should be a comparable program here to help low income people afford to be more energy efficient.