With temperatures beginning to drop in areas across the United States, some states are warning that funding for the program is being delayed because of the federal government shutdown, now in its fifth week. The anticipated delay comes as a majority of the 5.9 million households served by the federally funded heating and cooling assistance program are grappling with the sudden postponement of benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.
Nearly two dozen states are suing the Trump administration over its cancellation of a $7bn grant program aimed at expanding solar energy in low-income communities, according to court papers. In a statement on Thursday, California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, announced two lawsuits by a group of states that received grants under the Environmental Protection Agency's Solar for All program. The EPA's administrator, Lee Zeldin, announced the termination of the program in August.
People living in 17 boroughs in the capital who need financial support will be automatically enrolled on the water company's social tariff scheme without having to go through the application process. Under data-sharing agreements, Thames Water said it was working with councils and the Policy in Practice social data platform to identify customers whose water bills exceed 5% of their net income. Eligible households will be signed up to the WaterHelp scheme, which cuts bills by 50%.