Huw Irranca-Davies: Labour's Energy Policy Will Deliver for Our Rural Communities These more expensive alternatives have contributed to rural areas now having three times as many households in fuel poverty than urban areas. The affect of these rises on rural household budgets highlights the unseen reality that the cost of living crisis is not confined to Britain's town and cities, but has real implications for those living beyond these areas. Like their urban counterparts, ordinary families in our rural communities are seeing no action by this out of touch government to help cut their household energy bills. The government's principal scheme to help rural households in fuel poverty, the ECO (Energy Company Obligation) has failed rural consumers, especially the vulnerable groups it was intended for. Many households have been paying into this supposedly universal scheme and receiving no benefit, as energy companies evade their obligations. Most of the Big Six will no longer be engaging in heating oil or LGP boiler replacements as they are too expensive; with no repercussions from this government. The debate surrounding future energy policy and prices cannot be one confined to our towns and cities with little awareness or action for our rural communities; that is why Labour has pledged meaningful action on off-grid energy where this government has failed to do so. A future Labour government would introduce an energy price freeze, and save households money on their electricity bills including those which find themselves on off-grid gas but connected to the national grid for electricity. On tackling the off-grid energy crisis Labour would introduce two crucial policies. Firstly, Labour would include the off-grid energy sector within the remit and authority of the new energy regulator to be set up in 2015; bringing off-grid energy under regulation for the first time. This measure will reassure off-grid consumers a tough regulator will be working to guarantee a fair service and protect them from unnecessary price rises that dwarf those of the Big Six. Secondly, Labour will commit to paying Winter Fuel Payments earlier for pensioners using off-grid energy; providing a practical solution to protect pensioners from the excessive price spikes associated with off-grid energy at the onset of winter. Processing these payments in July as opposed to October and November will allow pensioners to purchase their energy at lower summer prices and store up supplies for the winter. In failing to introduce or support these measures the government has failed to stand up for rural communities; and demonstrated how out of touch they are with the cost of living crisis, and the country. A One Nation Labour Government will make no such mistake.