London Assembly Members have urged the UK's six main energy suppliers to take immediate action to help tackle the disproportionate number of Londoners suffering from fuel poverty.

In a motion agreed unanimously, Members called on the Mayor to join the Assembly in pressing for a better deal for Londoners from national energy savings initiatives.

Murad Qureshi AM, who proposed the motion, said: "Household incomes are tumbling in real terms and it is not just those on fixed or low incomes that are going to be hard hit by high energy bills this winter. Recent levels of profits by energy companies along with the hikes in prices of up to 18 percent mean the average household energy bill could be £1200 a year.

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"Energy companies have been underperforming on their obligations which could help Londoners living in fuel poverty and we need to get tough with them.

"The Mayor should use his influence to get them to improve their performance and ensure Londoners are not freezing to death this winter."

Victoria Borwick AM, who seconded the motion, said: "Every year around 2700 people in the UK die because they are unable to heat cold homes and London is particularly affected by fuel poverty because of the high cost of living and the energy companies pushing up prices.

"London has received significantly less cavity and loft insulation that it should have done. Just four percent of homes in the capital have benefited from the CERT scheme and by the end of 2010 only four percent of CESP schemes were in London."

(CD)