New fuel poverty research tool reveals local ‘hot spots’ of cold home misery in England
A new on-line tool for predicting England’s ‘hot spots’ of fuel poverty – commonly linked to the misery of living in a cold home – is launched today (Friday 25 May) [i] in London by the charity, Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE)[ii], and the University of Bristol[iii].
Called the ‘Fuel Poverty Indicator’ (FPI) and funded by Government departments and others[iv], the research tool can be used to expose those areas most affected by fuel poverty – a situation caused by the combination of badly insulated, expensive-to-heat housing, high fuel costs and low income[v].
Based on detailed statistical analysis by the University of Bristol of the most recently available national census and housing condition data, the FPI predicts the number and proportion of households in fuel poverty for every small area in England, for example wards or ‘super output areas’ (which contain about 400 households). CSE has mapped the FPI for every county area in England. The maps and detailed data can be viewed at a dedicated website, www.fuelpovertyindicator.org.uk.[vi]
The FPI shows that the worst problems at the time of the data (2003) fell in the major conurbations, such as London, West Midlands and Greater Manchester, as well as the more remote rural areas, such as Devon and Cornwall, East Anglia, Cumbria and Durham.
William Baker, CSE’s Senior Researcher and FPI project manager, said: “We believe the new Fuel Poverty Indicator will help organisations pinpoint and tackle the misery of cold, damp homes. The Indicator shows at a really local level where the worst fuel poverty problems are; in some areas 1 in 10 households.”
“Health organisations can use the FPI to plan and target their services. Researchers can investigate the link between fuel poverty and poor health. Local authorities can determine the extent of progress on their affordable warmth strategies. Community groups can provide evidence to support their funding bids. We want as many people as possible to be aware of the indicator and to use it in their work.”
Lord Truscott, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy, welcomed the work saying: "The new fuel poverty indicator will be indispensable in helping understand which areas of England are worst affected by fuel poverty. Our recent Energy White Paper proposals will take an additional 200,000 households out of fuel poverty by 2010 and I hope the indicator, in conjunction with the White paper, will help raise awareness of the work needed to eradicate fuel poverty, while enabling Local Authorities, and other organisations, to target their resources as effectively as possible."
A range of practical help for households having difficulties paying their fuel bills is available via Warm Front[vii], a scheme which provides assistance with energy efficiency measures and heating systems for eligible households, and the Home Heat Helpline[viii], a free service giving advice on reducing energy bills and access to grants available from energy suppliers and Government.
Region by region results
The ward and the local authority with the worst level of fuel poverty in each of the nine English regions are listed below:
East of England
Worst ward: Southtown & Cobholm ward in Great Yarmouth – 8.5 per cent
Worst local authority: Great Yarmouth – 6.8 per cent
East Midlands
Worst ward: Arboretum ward in Derby – 8.8 per cent
Worst local authority: Bolsover – 7.1 per cent
London
Worst ward: East Ham North ward in Newham – 7.4 per cent
Worst local authority: Newham – 6.4 per cent
North West
Worst ward: Daneshouse with Stoneyholme ward in Burnley – 10.2 per cent
Worst local authority: Liverpool – 7.5 per cent
North East
Worst ward: University ward in Middlesbrough – 9.0 per cent
Worst local authority Teesdale – 7.2 per cent
West Midlands
Worst ward: Fenny Compton ward in Stratford-on-Avon – 9.0 per cent
Worst local authority: South Shropshire – 7.0 per cent
Yorkshire and Humberside
Worst ward: University ward in Bradford – 9.3 per cent
Worst local authority: Kingston-upon-Hull and NE Lincolnshire – both with 7.0 per cent
South West
Worst ward: Chew Valley North ward in Bath & North East Somerset – 8.6 per cent
Worst local authority: Torridge – 7.0 per cent
South East
Worst ward: Sheerness East ward in Swale – 8.2 per cent
Worst local authority Isle of Wight – 6.7 per cent
CONTACTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
William Baker Senior Researcher, CSE 07739 281 076
Tim Weisselberg Communications Manager, CSE 0117 934 0916
Simon Roberts Chief Executive, CSE 07736 808796
Notes to Editors
1. The FPI is being launched at DTI Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1, at 10.00 hrs on Friday 25 May. For details contact Kirsty Mitchell at CSE on 07739 281 075.
2. The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a Bristol-based charitable company, established in 1979. CSE seeks innovative energy solutions that engage people and communities, delivering both environmentally sound and affordable energy services. For more information on CSE visit www.cse.org.uk.
3. Professor David Gordon and Eldin Fahmy of the Centre for International Poverty Research at Bristol University developed the statistical model upon which the Fuel Poverty Indicator is based.
4. The Fuel Poverty Indicator research and website was funded by the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health, Office for Gas and Electricity Markets, Energy Retail Association, Eaga Partnership Charitable Trust. The Government believes the indicator can help deliver its Fuel Poverty Strategy, particularly as a ‘tool’ to help target energy efficiency and other fuel poverty programmes. The FPI being launched is an update of an earlier version, based on 1991 Census and 1996 English House Condition Survey data, published by CSE in 2003.
5. The Government defines a fuel poor household as one which needs to spend more than 10 per cent of its income to achieve satisfactory heating and use of other energy services. Average household expenditure on fuel in England is currently just over 3 per cent of income. 1.2 million households lived in fuel poverty in 2003 – the year upon which the Fuel Poverty Indicator is based. This is likely to have increased significantly since then, with estimates that levels have at least doubled. The increase is due to the substantial rise in fuel prices since 2003.This will mean that there are higher proportions of people in fuel poverty across all parts of England than shown by the FPI. However, it does not mean that numbers will simply have doubled in all areas, since the types of households driven into fuel poverty by rising prices may be different from those who were fuel poor in 2003, although we believe the broad distribution of fuel poverty to be sound.
6. To help the practical interpretation of the data, the FPI website includes full colour maps that graphically show the worst areas affected, plus guidance on using and interpreting the data and maps.
7. To find out if households are eligible for assistance, or to apply for energy efficiency or heating measures contact Warm Front:
Telephone: 0800 316 6011
Textphone: 0800 072 0156
Website: www.eaga.com/grants/warmfront
8. Information for households having difficulties paying their fuel bills is available from the Home Heat Helpline:
Telephone: 0800 33 66 99
Website: www.homeheathelpline.org
