Black communities missing out on grants to reduce fuel bills
18 April 2007
- Indicators of poverty show that African and Caribbean communities may be more susceptible to fuel poverty than other groups –
- African and Caribbean communities are two and a half times more likely than the national average to live in the most deprived 40 per cent of local areas* -
- 75 per cent of vulnerable people unaware of benefits available to them to heat their homes -
The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) is today calling on members of the black community to get in touch and access free information on grants and benefits to which they may be entitled.
Government indicators of poverty and research conducted by the Department of Work and Pensions and the Office of National Statistics have shown that:
• 46% of black African and 30% of black Caribbean people had low household income (less than 60 per cent of the national average)*
• 27% of black African people and 15% of black Caribbean people earned less than £6.50 per hour.*
People living in poor quality housing are also more likely to have difficulty paying for their fuel bills because of problems including damp and inefficient insulation. The 2001 census found that in England African and Caribbean communities were two and a half times more likely than the national average to live in the most deprived 40 per cent of local areas.
The Home Heat Helpline is a free-phone service providing advice on how to stay warm over the winter, reduce energy bills and, in some cases, access grants. Vulnerable customers who call the helpline may be able to access grants from their energy suppliers or grants from the Government to help insulate their homes or improve their heating systems.
Duncan Sedgwick, Chief Executive of the Energy Retail Association said:
“It is clear that some people are more vulnerable to fuel poverty. We would therefore encourage anyone who is concerned about their fuel bills to call the Home Heat Helpline to see whether they are entitled to additional support or grants. On average vulnerable customers are missing out on £1,500 each in grants and rebates. The Home Heat Helpline can help access this money as well as extra services available from energy suppliers.”
John Azah, Chair of the British Federation of Race Equality Councils comments:
“While more research needs to be conducted on this issue and exact figures are unclear, a number of factors suggest that black and minority ethnic households may be living in fuel poverty. Low household income, poor wages, and poor housing standards all make members of the black and minority ethnic community particularly at risk from this problem. It is therefore essential that the Home Heat Helpline encourages these communities to call the helpline for advice on their energy bills and energy efficiency.”
Notes to Editors
Four Communications
0870 420 3245
HHH@fourcommunications.com
Home Heat Helpline
Oliver Wright – 020 7747 5436
oliver.wright@energy-retail.org.uk
Sources:
* Deprivation and ethnicity in England, a regional perspective, 2001,Office of National Statistics
* Labour force survey 2005/2006, Office of National Statistics
* Household below average income, Department of Work and Pensions
1. Fuel poverty is defined as a household spending more than 10 per cent of its income on energy bills.
2. The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) operates from Monday to Friday 9am-8pm and from 10am-2pm on Saturday. There is a free minicom number for deaf users (0800 027 2122), and the Helpline also has access to interpreters for those callers whose first language is not English. www.homeheathelpline.org
3. The Helpline is operated by The essentiagroup and is staffed by expert advisers, including former health professionals, who are trained to give advice on how to stay warm during the cold weather. They are also trained and authorised to deal with intermediaries calling on behalf of vulnerable customers, such as friends, carers, social workers or health visitors
4. The Energy Retail Association was established in October 2003 and is the only dedicated trade association for domestic energy suppliers in the UK. More information can be found at www.energy-retail.org.uk
5. The Home Heat Helpline, launched in October 2005, is a free service for all British citizens and is funded by Britain’s six major energy suppliers. It is the only telephone helpline service that aims to tackle fuel poverty. The energy suppliers spent £300 million between 2002 – 2005 on tackling fuel poverty and have committed to spend a further £700 million over the next 3 years on this important issue.
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