Opinion: A warm home shouldn't be a luxury

A version of this article by Cllr Bridget Smith, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, was first published in Cambridge Independent on 04 November 2026.

Now the clocks have gone back, the nights are drawing in and it’s getting cold outside, many households will once again be worrying about the cost of keeping their homes warm.

For some, that means putting off turning on the heating for another hour. For others, it means cutting back on the food shop or other essentials to make sure there's enough money left to pay the energy bill.

Nobody should have to make those choices. A warm, comfortable home should be something everyone can take for granted, not a luxury that depends on how much money you have.

That's why we're determined to do what we can to help residents through the colder months.

Last year, we committed almost £450,000 to our Cost-of-Living Support Programme, to help people facing financial difficulties and support the community organisations that so many of us rely on.

That includes funding for community hubs and warm spaces, where people can come together without worrying about the cost of heating their own homes, as well as support for emergency food parcels and a mobile food hub reaching residents in our rural communities.

And just last month, we agreed how £180,000, allocated to South Cambs by the County Council from the Crisis and Resilience Fund, would be spent to support residents facing financial hardship.

Crucially, that includes emergency energy vouchers for households with prepayment meters, helping prevent people from being left without gas or electricity this winter. It also includes supermarket vouchers, debt advice, and support for residents struggling to make ends meet.

These might not be the biggest or most glamorous announcements, but for someone worrying about whether they can afford to put the heating on, they can make an enormous difference.

Of course, helping people through the winter is only part of the answer. We also need to make our homes warmer and cheaper to heat in the first place.

Through the Action on Energy partnership, we're helping residents access advice and support to improve their homes' energy efficiency. And we're investing in improvements to our own council housing, including insulation and cleaner heating, to help tenants enjoy warmer homes and lower bills.

For Liberal Democrats, tackling the cost of living and tackling climate change go hand in hand. Better insulated homes mean less energy wasted, lower household bills and fewer harmful emissions.

But while councils can make a difference, we cannot solve these challenges alone.

The Chancellor's recent Budget included some welcome measures to help households with their energy costs, including a £100 payment for eligible households. Any extra support will be appreciated by families already struggling to make ends meet.

But £100 will only go so far when households are facing hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds in annual energy costs.

And at a time when we should be investing more in making Britain's homes warmer and more energy efficient, the Government's approach to funding home improvements raises serious questions about whether it is matching the scale of the challenge.

Liberal Democrats have long called for a far more ambitious programme of home insulation, alongside investment in renewable energy to bring down bills and reduce our reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets.

Because we shouldn't simply be offering temporary help every time energy prices rise. We should be tackling the reasons bills are so high in the first place.

Here in South Cambridgeshire, we'll continue doing what we can, whether that's helping a family keep their electricity on, supporting a community warm space, or improving the energy efficiency of someone's home.

And if you're struggling with the cost of living this winter, please don't suffer in silence. There is support available through the council and other local organisations, and I'd encourage anyone who needs help to get in touch.

Everyone deserves a warm home, affordable energy, and the peace of mind that comes with both. That's what we're working towards here in South Cambridgeshire, and it's what we need the Government to deliver for the whole country.