WHAT IS FUEL POVERTY?

A household is considered to be in fuel poverty when 10% or more of its disposable income is spent on heating the home.  The four main contributors to fuel poverty are energy inefficient homes, low incomes, under occupancy and rising fuel costs.  In essence, anybody on a low income, who has to spend a large amount of time at home, is likely to suffer from fuel poverty. 

This can result in difficult decisions between keeping warm and other basic necessities.  Householders may struggle to pay for healthy food and activities because their energy bills are so high.  Fuel poverty also affects mental well-being:  a cold home can be an oppressive environment and energy debts can lead to stress. Families may spend most of their time in one room which can be kept warm at a reasonable cost, leading to tension and lack of a quiet warm space for children to do homework.

Many people in fuel poverty are likely to come into contact with health, social or community workers. This is why we are so keen to involve these sectors in working to create affordable warmth. Frontline workers may be able to recognise cold homes or the symptoms of fuel poverty and refer the householder onto a support or grant scheme.

Creating affordable warmth not only benefits the householder by cutting fuel bills and saving them money, but can also help improve health. There is now a wealth of research to support the link between cold, damp homes and health problems such as asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, heart disease and stroke, as well as simple trips and falls. Ensuring vulnerable householders' homes are heated to an adequate standard will improve health, reduce hospital admissions and allow patients to return to their homes in comfort.

We will be working with local authorities to create an action plan that will target those most in need, such as those in lower income brackets, single parent families, the elderly and householders with special needs. The Action Plan will look at using improvements in energy efficiency to lift people out of fuel poverty. It will also aim to ensure vulnerable groups are claiming any benefits they are entitled to in order to maximise their income.