Today, Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) responded to the Government’s consultation on non-domestic energy supply contracts to highlight the barriers nomadic communities face when accessing energy.
Many Gypsies and Travellers living on local authority or privately owned sites have no access to mains gas and are sold electricity as a third party by local authorities.
As a result, residents cannot choose energy suppliers and are often locked into expensive payment plans, or are forced to find alternative and expensive means of energy.
Freedom of Information requests by FFT found that in the Southeast:
- 32% of the local authority sites hold electricity contracts and sell electricity onto residents as a third party.
- 97% of Gypsies and Travellers living on local authority sites had no access to mains gas and are forced to purchase gas bottles.
- 82% of Traveller site residents were on prepayment meters, meaning many households are paying more per unit of energy and are at greater risk of having their electricity supply cut off.
Although some Gypsies and Travellers living on sites were able to access the Government energy support grants, households with non-domestic energy contracts are still being excluded from financial help with rising energy costs.
The consultation is available here.
Submissions close on 18 September 2023.
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About Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT)
Friends, Families and Travellers is a leading national charity that works to end racism and discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people and to protect the right to pursue a nomadic way of life.
Media Contact
Communications Team
Email:Â comms@gypsy-traveller.org
Additional resources
Plugged in: Strengthening Energy Advice and Support for Gypsies, Roma, Travellers and Nomadic Communities. National Energy Action and Friends, Families and Travellers. July 2023. Read.
Domestic consumers with non-domestic energy supply contracts: call for evidence. UK Government. July 2023. View.
Help extend energy support grants to Gypsies and Travellers living on roadside camps. Friends, Families and Travellers. August 2023. Take action.
