Donations for late Queen given to fuel bill charity
BBC NewsFriday 23rd December 2022
King Charles III, visiting a community kitchen last week, has given money to help those struggling with fuel bills
By Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent
Money donated in memory of Queen Elizabeth is being given by King Charles to a charity helping people unable to pay their fuel bills.
Buckingham Palace has not revealed the amount, but the Fuel Bank Foundation is being given funds donated when the late Queen died in September.
The charity provides vouchers for pre-payment meters for gas and electricity.
Matthew Cole, head of the charity, said it would provide respite from the "energy and cost of living crisis".
In the wake of the late Queen's death, there were financial contributions as well as many letters of condolence sent to the Royal Family.
That money, according to royal sources, is now being handed over to help people who are unable to pay for heat, light and power in their homes.
Along with the immediate help of topping up gas and electricity meters, the charity provides advice about bills and reducing the risk of being without energy supplies.
Royal visits and charity efforts have reflected these growing concerns about the cost of living.
As well as cards and floral tributes, there were financial donations in memory of the late Queen
Last week, King Charles visited a community kitchen and food bank in Harrow, which is serving more than 10,000 people each week, where he heard about the work of volunteers supporting local people who were struggling to afford food.
Earlier this month, the King donated funds to provide hundreds of fridges and freezers for food banks, to help them make better use of donated food, in a project organised by the Felix Project charity.
House of Commons library figures, the most recent official ones which are for 2020, show about 13% of households in England are classed as "fuel poor", 25% in Scotland, 12% in Wales, and 18% in Northern Ireland.
The Fuel Bank Foundation, which has supported 650,000 people since being set up seven years ago, works alongside food banks and other local agencies.
Mr Cole, the charity's head, welcomed the "generous donation", which has been topped up with a personal donation from the King.
"The money will be used to help keep vulnerable people warm this winter, offering some physical and mental respite from the challenges posed by the energy and cost of living crisis," he said.
Donations for late Queen given to fuel bill charity
Money donated in memory of Queen Elizabeth is being used to help those unable to pay energy bills.
www.bbc.co.uk
