What do we do?
Across the UK, cold homes continue to damage the lives of the most vulnerable households. Official reports indicate that nearly 9 million households in England alone struggled with energy affordability in 2024, and we estimate that 6 million children across the UK are currently living in fuel poverty. Change is needed and overdue.
National Energy Action (NEA) work with governments, parliaments, regulators, and civil society across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland We also collaborate closely with our sister charity, Energy Action Scotland to secure change on behalf of households who continue to live in a cold, unhealthy across the breadth of the UK. We bridge the gap between practical experience and national policy, using real-world insights from our frontline services to ensure regulatory decisions benefit those who need them most.
Everything we do, we do in partnership. We work in collaboration with many different public and private sector organsiations and coalitions to ensure we are a unified voice. From our Business Supporters Group, public sector representatives, housing associations, green NGOs and other representative charities, we believe our collective voice is stronger.
Click here for more information on our parliamentary groups.
What we know about fuel debt and affordability
We’ve conducted extensive research and created a report to show our insight into fuel debt and affordability. Read our report here.
What have we achieved?
Since 1981, NEA has secured landmark legislative victories, including the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act (2000), which legally mandated fuel poverty targets. Subsequently, our advocacy ensured that the Fuel Poverty (England) Regulations became a cornerstone of national strategy, legally obligating the government to ensure all low-income households reach EPC C by 2030.
Recent Wins include:
- The Warm Homes Plan (2026): We supported the shaping of the new £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, providing fully funded insulation, solar panels, and heat pumps for low-income households.
- Expanded bill support: Our campaigning helped secure the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, now reaching nearly 6 million households.
- The prepayment premium removal: We successfully campaigned to end the ‘prepayment penalty’, ensuring those on prepay meters no longer pay more for their energy than direct debit customers.
- Debt relief scheme: Working with debt advice agencies, we secured a debt relief scheme worth hundreds of millions of pounds for low-income energy consumers.
What are we campaigning for?
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People – Supporting fuel poor households through the energy crisis
Energy prices remain structurally higher than pre-crisis levels. We are campaigning for deeper, targeted financial support to ensure no one is forced to choose between heating and eating.
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Homes – A fair transition to net zero
We cannot reach net zero without upgrading the UK’s coldest homes. The Warm Homes Plan provides the framework, and we are pushing for a delivery model that prioritizes those in the worst situations. This includes the successful implementation of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for rented accommodation and the full activation of the new Warm Homes Agency.
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Markets – Reforming the energy retail system
The current energy market is not designed for the most vulnerable. We are campaigning for:
- Expanded energy debt support: A centrally run programme to clear “unmanageable” debt.
- Standing Charge reform: Reducing the high fixed costs that unfairly penalize low-energy users.
- Fair networks: Ensuring energy network price controls provide positive outcomes for fuel-poor households.