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Fuel Poverty levels fall

Fuel poverty levels in the UK has fallen, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

The 2012 Annual Report on Fuel Poverty Statistics found that the number of fuel poor households in England fell to 3.5 million in 2010 from 2009, down from 4 million in 2009.

Rising incomes, improvements in the energy efficiency of housing stock and installations of energy efficient boilers were all named as reasons why fuel poverty levels have fallen. There was also little change in domestic energy prices between 2009 and 2010.

Commenting on the figures, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change Gregory Baker said: “I am encouraged by the fall in fuel poverty in the period to April 2011, but there is no room for complacency.

“Fuel poverty remains a serious national problem and the Coalition is absolutely committed to tackling it.”

Future projections indicate that there are likely to be around 3.5 million fuel poor households in England in 2011, and 3.9 million in 2012. Increases in prices in the second half of 2011 are not set to full impact on fuel poverty data until 2012.

These figures will only be known when results of household incomes and efficiency programmes are collated, and will be available for publication in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Mr Barker added: “People can still get help with heating and insulation through Warm Front and around 2 million households will get money off their energy bills this year through the Warm Home Discount scheme.

“However, our ambitious new policies including the Green Deal will go much further. The Green Deal will help people pay for home improvements through savings on their energy bills with extra financial help for the most vulnerable.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .