tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7225684640556187442.post-71097028820681346922008-07-02T10:13:00.004+01:002008-07-02T10:28:50.906+01:00<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_n2pmEFC1hgQ/SGtKJYufRdI/AAAAAAAAABo/lYBnnzc0r7k/s1600-h/nuria+zolle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218346118355568082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_n2pmEFC1hgQ/SGtKJYufRdI/AAAAAAAAABo/lYBnnzc0r7k/s320/nuria+zolle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Rising fuel prices have hit the headlines recently with predictions of further increases to come - 30 or even 40 per cent according to some commentators. While higher bills affect everyone, the people hardest hit are vulnerable households. Even in 2006, long before the latest round of price rises, about one in five households in Wales was 'fuel poor'. Fuel poverty is a result of high bills, because of high prices and energy inefficient homes, and low incomes, and it is proving very hard to tackle. So it was great to see some really good ideas at a National Energy Action awards scheme last week, where I was a judge. The deserved winner was the Robert Owen Credit Union <a href="http://www.romcul.co.uk/">http://www.romcul.co.uk/</a> in Newtown, who use their credit union services to allow people to pay fuel bills by direct debit (usually cheaper), to get dual fuel deals, and to switch suppliers as well as pointing them to advice on energy efficiency. This is one of those ideas that is so good you wonder why it is not being rolled out more widely. </span></div>Victoria Wincklerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08733052813016858968noreply@blogger.com