Fuel poverty flatlining says Committee on Fuel Poverty: comment

Commenting on a report by the Committee on Fuel Poverty which finds that fuel poverty in England is flatlining rather than falling [1], Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said: "Anyone who has paid a gas bill over the last few years knows the real world impacts of relying on gas for home heating and electricity generation - with people in fuel poverty suffering most from the extortionate and volatile prices of the fuel. Energy efficiency schemes are not performing at the target level at the moment but could be the light at the end of the tunnel as insulation lowers bills and decreases gas demand in households, which will increasingly come from abroad as the North Sea continues its inevitable decline.

"This analysis coincides with the removal of the Winter Fuel Payment for some pensioners, with questions remaining about how the Government will ensure that these households don't suffer in the short term, including whether it will bring in a social tariff or expand the Warm Homes Discount. In the long term, the solutions of upgrading our leaky housing stock, transitioning away from gas boilers and building renewables will help to shield fuel poor households from future gas crises, with no time to waste."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Fuel poverty has not fallen 'to any meaningful extent' in 5 years: https://www.gov.uk/government/...

For more information or for interview requests:

George Smeeton, Head of Communications at ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, Email: george.smeeton@eciu.net