Demonstration against fuel poverty in Birmingham - dates, location & more

Unite’s West Midlands community members are set to stage a demonstration and protest against fuel poverty in Birmingham.

The demonstration is part of Unite’s wider campaign to persuade the government to bring the energy network into public ownership. This is the first of a series of regional protests developing into a national day of action before Christmas.

Birmingham had the highest proportion of households in fuel poverty across England when the energy crisis began two years ago, new figures show.

National Energy Action said the data "only tells part of the story" as the energy crisis has worsened over the past two years. Figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show 100,512 households in Birmingham were in fuel poverty in 2021 – 23.2% of homes in the area and the highest percentage in the country.

Energy prices increased significantly towards the end of 2021 with many suppliers in the UK going out of business. By the end of December 2021, 28 energy companies had closed their doors. The proportion of homes living in fuel poverty in Birmingham was up from 2020, when 21.8% of households struggled to heat their homes.

During the demonstration and protest, Unite will be encouraging members of the public to discuss how the huge increases in energy costs have affected them. These will then be shared on social media.

In-depth research by Unite Investigates, Renationalising Energy costs and savings, published earlier this year revealed that by bringing the energy network into public ownership, bills could be cut by up to £1,800 a year and funds made available to introduce green energy.

When is the demonstration against fuel poverty taking place in Birmingham?

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The huge increase in energy costs are causing misery for millions who simply can’t afford to keep their homes warm this winter.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. Unite’s research shows that by bringing the energy network into public ownership, bills can be cut and funds made available to accelerate the transition to green energy.”

Unite community co-ordinator Shaun Pender said: “People in Birmingham who are worried about their fuel bills should join the protest and make their voices heard.”

When: Thursday, 28 September, 12:00 – 14:00

Where: Outside Waterstones in Birmingham City Centre, B4 7SL.