Welsh Lib Dems slam unacceptable delay in financial support from Westminster for off-grid homes

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have slammed delays by the UK Government in rolling out a scheme designed to help people living in off-grid homes with soaring heating costs.

The UK Government minister responsible for energy bill support has announced that off-grid households will not receive any help with their spiralling bills until at least 2023, despite MPs from all parties calling for urgent action throughout 2022.

Under-generous

Ministers are yet to establish the full details of how hard-hit residents will be able to access the help they need after taking months to develop what has been described as an “over-complicated and under-generous” scheme.

Graham Stuart, the Minister for Energy and Climate, revealed the delay to off-grid support in a letter to MPs this week.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for a price cap on heating oil and LPG to ease the pressure on the many families in rural Wales living off the national gas grid.

Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds MS represents Mid & West Wales which contains areas such as Ceredigion where 74% of properties are estimated to not be connected to the gas grid. In Powys the figure is 55% while in Pembrokeshire it is 41%.

“Families across my region and other rural parts of Wales are desperately in need of support with their energy bills which haven’t been protected by a price cap like those on the national grid,” she said.

“For months upon months the Conservatives failed to act and now they are delaying action again. It isn’t good enough. Especially as the majority of Welsh Conservative MPs and MSs represent rural areas.

“The Liberal Democrats will continue to call for a price cap on heating oil and LPG to be introduced. Rural communities have been taken for granted by the Conservatives for far too long.”