Edinburgh-based not for profit energy provider Our Power has stepped up its fight against fuel poverty with the launch of a new ethical energy tariff.

It is estimated that over four million households in the UK live in fuel poverty, with many regularly having to make the choice between eating a hot meal or heating their home.

Our Power, which was established in 2016, aims to change this with its first UK-wide tariff, +IMPACT.

The new 100% green tariff is about putting power in the hands of the consumer. The more customers to switch to the competitively priced tariff, the more Our Power can maintain the lowest prices for customers at risk of fuel poverty.

Put into numbers, for every home that switches to the +IMPACT tariff, Our Power said it can offer an affordable tariff to a lower income or fuel-poor household, helping them heat their home for an average of 54 more days than they could for the same price on a Big 6 standard variable tariff.

Moreover, any additional profit that Our Power makes will be invested in communities across the UK with the aim of creating new employment opportunities.

Studies have shown that households suffering from fuel poverty are typically charged the highest rates due to the restrictions they often face in accessing the lowest priced tariffs in the market. Our Power has only one price regardless of how people choose to pay – making energy fairer and more accessible to all.

Dawn Muspratt, founding chief executive at Our Power, said: “Fuel poverty is a real issue for around 4 million people in the UK. With +IMPACT we aim to change this and challenge the status quo. Our new tariff is competitively priced and those who switch will save around £80 per year. More importantly, for every home that switches to the +IMPACT tariff, Our Power can help to bring energy costs down for families living in or at risk fuel poverty. It’s a win-win for everyone.

“+IMPACT’s electricity is also super green. We know exactly which renewable energy sources our power is coming from and, where possible, we buy from community-owned energy schemes and renewable sources in the UK.”

Thousands of housing association tenants already receive their energy from Our Power, which launched in Scotland in 2016. Clyde Valley Housing Association residents Sheena Macvicar, 64, and her husband, 67, switched to Our Power last year and their energy bills have reduced by almost 50%.

Sheena said: “We heard about Our Power through our housing association, which had already been helping us to reduce our bills by installing insulation and recommending other energy saving options. We were really struggling with our energy bills and the cost was only ever going up.

“But with Our Power we were not only able to sign up to a cheaper tariff, we had the comfort of knowing they weren’t just trying to profit from our situation. This really struck a chord with both me and my husband. We quickly decided to switch to Our Power and the entire process was much easier than I thought it would be – it was quick and simple.”