According to a new report by National Energy Action (NEA) , a national charity seeking to end fuel poverty, the UK has the sixth worst long-term rate of excess winter mortality out of 30 European countries, with an average of 9,700 deaths per year attributed to cold homes.
Fuel poverty can affect the most vulnerable and it often remains an invisible issue due to the stigma surrounding it. Today is Fuel Poverty Awareness Day, a nationwide campaign to tackle exactly this phenomenon. In many cases the problem lies with people not being aware that they can save on their bills by switching to a better deal, which can be exacerbated by the fact that many live in old, inefficient housing that is difficult to heat, further driving up energy bills.
Dan from the Brighton and Hove Energy Services Co-op (BHESCo) at HISBE supermarket in Brighton (Image by Nora Blascsok)
Thankfully, there are initiatives out there doing great work trying to tackle the problem. I went out in Brighton today to visit the Brighton and Hove Energy Services Co-op (BHESCo), who set up a stall for Fuel Poverty Awareness Day in HISBE, Brighton’s ethical supermarket. They are raising awareness of the services they offer to people struggling to pay their energy bills, such as showing people how to switch to a better deal or helping them apply for the Warm Home Discount.
Local projects like this can make a lot of difference.
At the Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand (CIED) our research has looked at energy cafes – community-run energy advice centres – and how they can alleviate fuel poverty. Dr Mari Martiskainen worked with the South East London Community Energy to produce a report based on the research.
Find out more about ‘The Fuel Bill Drop Shop Project’.
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I sent your blog to my MP in West Cornwall, Derek Thomas, as we have some of the worst fuel poverty in Britain; here’s his response:
Thanks Thurstan
I’m sure you are aware that Anthony Ball (Cornwall Council) has recently done some great work on this and has managed to identify an £8m pot to help address fuel poverty in Cornwall and on Scilly. I have been very supportive of this effort.
I have also been pressing Government to include the efficiency of our homes as a spending priority for the National Infrustructure Fund and recently the Treasury has indicated that this will be the case. Improved homes will lead to better school attainment, reduced hospital admissions and reduced household bills which has a direct benefit to the local economy. All of these are of interest to a progressive Government.
Furthermore, I have been in recent discussions regarding what the next Energy Company Obligation should look like so that it is much more effective at improving the least efficient homes.
Please be assured that I am very engaged in this matter.
Kind regards
Derek Thomas MP
For West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (St Ives)
Hi Thurstan, thank you for sharing our blog with your MP. I am not sure if you have seen our policy brief on fuel poverty and energy cafes, which we link to in the blog. This might interest your MP as well: http://www.cied.ac.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Energy-cafes-policy-brief-web.pdf
Best wishes,
Nora