Young people in England suffered the most from fuel poverty in 2023, government data shows.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero revealed over a quarter of households in which the oldest person is aged 16-24 were in fuel poverty in 2023, compared to just over a tenth of households in which the oldest person is over 75.
National Energy Action (NEA), the national charity working to end fuel poverty, defines fuel poverty as a household needing to use 10% of their income on keeping their home warm.
The rapid rise of fuel costs in 2021 as part of the cost of living crisis, caused partly by shortages in energy supply, meant a significant number of properties moved into fuel poverty.
Labour’s proposed cut to winter fuel payments last year would reduce the number of pensioner recipients from around 11 million to around 1.5 million, leading to widespread concern for older people’s wellbeing.
The UK’s Fuel Poverty Strategy focuses on providing support to senior citizens, disabled people and children, but fewer resources are allocated to 16-24 year olds.
Ethnic minorities were also more likely to be living in fuel poverty, the data found.
NEA states those living in fuel poverty can suffer from adverse health conditions like asthma, heart attacks and strokes, and it can also worsen pre-existing chronic medical conditions.
Fuel poverty can also exacerbate mental health issues, and is a known risk factor for suicide.
Levels of fuel poverty varied significantly across London.
A disproportionate number of households in East London in fuel poverty in 2022, separate data from the department showed.
The London Borough of Newham had the highest level of fuel poverty in London at 14.4%, followed by Dagenham and Haringey at 13.3% and 13.2%.
Three out of five of the worst constituencies for fuel poverty were in East London.
East Ham was the worst, with nearly 17% of households in fuel poverty, followed by Ilford South at 16.1%.
Walthamstow was fifth worst with 14.4%.
Edmonton and Tottenham made up the third and fourth-worst constituencies for fuel poverty in London, both in the north.
Repowering London, a not-for-profit community energy development organisation, has been working with Newham residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, specifically through a government funded project that helps low-income householders access grant funding for home improvements through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.
Afsheen Kabir Rashid MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Repowering London, said: “Fuel poverty can affect anyone on a low income or with particularly high living costs, but one specific concern that we’ve identified while supporting Londoners over recent years involves people with health conditions that are made worse by living in cold, damp conditions.”
NEA estimates six million UK households are in fuel poverty, rising by more than 1.5 million since the beginning of the energy crisis in October 2021.
A household is considered fuel poor based on its income, its energy requirements, and fuel prices.
Rashid said: “As long as the energy system is set up in way that allows for this kind of volatility and means bills can rise suddenly, people will struggle to manage the peaks and valleys.
“That’s why our aim at Repowering London is to empower people to change the way the energy system works.
“The challenges of climate change, poverty and energy security are all tied together, and we believe they can only be tackled by decentralising our energy system and bringing the resulting financial and social benefits directly to those who need them most.”
Maria Booker, head of policy at Fair By Design, a UK-based initiative dedicated to eliminating what is termed the poverty premium, said: “Current policies don’t go far enough to support people across the UK.
“A social tariff would ensure that everyone can afford the energy they need to stay safe and well, while greater investment in energy efficiency would address the root causes of high energy bills.
“Additionally, the UK’s housing stock is among the least energy-efficient in Europe. For every unit of heat a German home loses, a UK home loses three.
“This inefficiency forces low-income households to spend more just to stay warm.”
The Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency by encouraging people to make more energy efficient choices.
They provided several energy and money saving tips for those hoping to cut down on their bills.
They said: “Bleeding your radiators ensures that hot water can circulate freely inside them, helping to keep them working effectively.
“Pipe insulation is an easy DIY install, you can buy foam insulation tubes online or from a DIY store and slip them over your pipes.
“Foam pipe jackets cost around £18 to install and you will save around £5 a year on energy bills.”
They also advised to only put the heating on in rooms that are being used, and to close blinds and curtains when it is cold to limit heat loss.
Picture credit: Arthur Lambillotte via Unsplash
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