Riverside is one of a number of housing associations that has signed up to a campaign to end fuel poverty which will affect millions of households this winter.

Housing associations supporting the drive have written open letters to the Prime Minister and the ‘big six’ raising concerns about the impending impact of Covid-19, and offered up a number of solutions.

These include government introducing a one off Covid-19 winter fuel payment of £300 for those households identified as needing greater support; energy providers removing standing charges from the same households, with immediate effect; and energy providers ensuring customers known to be on a higher tariff be moved to a better tariff.

The campaign is also asking energy providers to prioritise those in social and affordable homes as part of its program of switching to smart metering.

It is expected that around six million people in the UK will suffer because they are caught in fuel poverty this winter.

Around 30 housing associations are backing the campaign which accounts for over one million households, representing nearly three million people.

The campaign, led by Home Group, has also received the support of the National Housing Federation, National Energy Action, as well as MPs from across the house.

Research by the Academy of Medical Sciences has noted that in homes where the temperature is less than 18 degrees centigrade the Covid-19 virus will thrive. The impact this could have on those 2.4 million households in fuel poverty is worrying many in the sector, and outside.