SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, Councillor Julia Marrs and N-Power meet to combat fuel poverty

 

Energy giant npower has given the green light to further working with SNP MSP Christina McKelvie and SNP Councillor Julia Marrs in their initiative to combat fuel poverty.

Following a meeting in the Scottish Parliament with Matthew Cole, npower Head of Home & Business Policy & Social Energy, the SNP politicians have agreed an action plan to encourage their constituents to take advantage of npower’s Fuel Bank® scheme.

The npower Fuel Bank, launched in 2015, has helped provide over 85,000 people across the UK with energy support.  The scheme provides foodbank clients who have a prepayment meter with a voucher worth £49 in the winter and £30 in the summer to top up their gas or electricity, regardless of which energy supplier they are with.

In Glasgow alone, around 3100 people have been helped by the scheme since it launched in July 2016, of which around 2,200 were adults and nearly 900 children.

The Fuel Bank located in Glasgow South East will be visited by the SNP politicians later this year. 

The meeting comes following Christina McKelvie MSP and Julia Marr’s partnership with Scottish Power, launching the Quick Credit Voucher scheme in Hamilton and Clydesdale foodbanks.

The Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse MSP, Christina McKelvie, has written to the ‘Bix Six’ energy companies, encouraging them to do more to aid customers who struggle with heating their homes.

Commenting on the meeting, SNP MSP Christina McKelvie said:

“I’m thankful for npower to responding so positively to my call for ‘Bix Six’ energy providers to do more to help their customers who may struggle with their energy needs.

“The meeting was entirely constructive and we have agreed a range of actions which is entirely set to benefit my constituents who may need that extra help in heating their homes.

“Following this meeting and in addition to the launch of the Scottish Power Quick Credit Voucher in the Hamilton and Clydesdale foodbanks in our constituencies, this is one of just a series of actions both Councillor Julia Marrs and I have taken to ensure our constituents are safe, secure and warm this winter.

SNP Councillor for Clydesdale, Julia Marrs added:

“The meeting today was optimistic and positive, highlighting npower’s enthusiasm for energy equity, ensuring everyone is warm and safe as a right rather than a privilege.

“I’m looking forward to further meetings discussing our work going forward so our most vulnerable are protected from the worst effects of poverty, and can be given the breathing space to get the help they need. 

Matthew Cole, npower’s Head of Home & Business Policy & Social Energy added:

“We’re excited to work with SNP MSP Christina McKelvie and the team to ensure that we provide and target additional support to some of the most vulnerable and hardest hit constituents. 

“During our productive meeting, we explored why energy companies might not always be at the forefront of people’s minds when in crisis – and the importance of working with key people and organisations in the community to ensure that these people and their families get the right support at the right time.”