Caroline Lucas

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion constituency, has  announced her opposition to proposals which would link payment of housing benefit to energy efficiency standards in rented homes.

Caroline said:
"Energy efficiency in the domestic sector is vital in the fight against climate change and fuel poverty. However, seeking to withhold Housing Benefit payments to those who live in energy inefficient housing will do little to drive improvement, and a lot to hurt tenants who are in receipt of benefits.

"Forty-four per cent of our carbon footprint comes from domestic properties, and this is a particular problem in Brighton and Hove where twenty-one per cent of residents live in the private rented sector.

The solution to this is not for the Government to endanger the tenancies of our most vulnerable citizens, but instead to follow the Green Party's policy proposal of making a long-term investment commitment of £4 billion a year into energy efficiency measures until 2025. Alongside tough regulation of private landlords, this would transform our country's homes, while creating 80,000 jobs in the process."

Caroline will also be meeting with the CEO of the Brighton Housing Trust , where she will discuss the challenges they face, and what she can do to help the organisation if she is elected as the MP for Brighton Pavilion constituency. Brighton Housing Trust works to increase the provision of affordable housing, and challenges discrimination faced by homeless people.

For more information about the Greens view:
www.brightonhovegreens.org