Oil-fuelled homes should get allowences earlier, says MP (From South Wales Guardian)

Oil-fuelled homes should get allowences earlier, says MP

8:00am Monday 17th September 2012 in Ammanford news

CARMARTHENSHIRE East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards has called for the Winter Fuel Allowance to be paid early to households who are not connected to the mains gas grid and must rely on oil/LPG to heat their homes.

Mr Edwards, whose maiden speech in Parliament focused on fuel poverty, co-sponsored a Parliamentary Bill earlier this year calling for payments to be made early.

He said the Bill would make a significant difference to vulnerable people and allow them to take advantage of cheaper prices earlier in the year.

The second reading of the Bill took place on Friday.

Speaking from Westminster, Mr Edwards said: “In December a constituent from Ammanford contacted me having just ordered heating oil at the cheapest price he could find, which was 55.5p per litre.

“Just three months earlier, the cost of his heating oil was 40.9p.

“If he had had his Winter Fuel Allowance earlier, he would have been able to stock up on an additional 180 litres of fuel, ready for winter.”