Submitted by: Consumer Affairs Committee

The National Council of Women in Conference assembled recognising that the imposition of VAT on domestic energy supplies makes a contribution towards the UK’s objective of reducing environmentally damaging emissions, but concerned at the crippling effect that higher energy prices can have on lower income households, calls upon the Government to ensure that: (a) domestic energy prices are based only on costs attributable to domestic consumers; (b) measures to conserve energy in the home are made more widely available at little or no cost to lower income households in order to maintain comfort despite lower energy use; (c) those on lower incomes whether below or just above benefit levels are compensated for higher energy bills resulting from the imposition of VAT.