'More financial action required' to tackle fuel debt

Next year's Budget will need to include financial measures that deal with problems relating to fuel debt and child poverty, according to one commentator.

Citizens Advice chief executive David Harker believes that recent measures unveiled by the chancellor to support vulnerable consumers who have large energy bills are welcome developments.

However, he added: "We are concerned that the government will not be able to meet its aims to halve child poverty [and] eradicate fuel poverty by 2010 without further action in the next Budget."

According to Mr Harker, recent months have witnessed a large rise when it comes to the number of people contacting Citizens Advice about financial problems relating to fuel costs.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has recently noted that the government is to invest more money in domestic energy efficiency measures, in a development which may help those looking to avoid having to get credit to meet their fuel bills.

Written by Martin Peacock.