Beyond ECO: The future of fuel poverty support

Article

Fuel poverty is a fact of life for 2.5 million households across England.

It is also an increasing problem, with the number of households in fuel poverty rising by just under 5 per cent from 2014 to 2015. The average fuel poverty gap – the amount by which a fuel-poor household’s energy bills exceed reasonable costs each year – was £353 in 2015. As a consequence, too many people are forced to make unacceptable choices between ‘heating or eating’.

At its worst, fuel poverty can contribute to premature winter deaths – around 10,000 deaths in 2016–2017 were related to cold homes.

Related items

  1. Filling the funding gap: at what cost to Scotland’s public services?

    Last week the Scottish government published its delayed Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) which ‘provides the economic, funding and spending outlooks for the financial years 2025/26 to 2029/30’ and ‘the Government’s fiscal strategy to…
  2. An older man with a walking stick is sitting on a sofa having his temperature taken with a thermometer in his ear by a female nurse in uniform

    This time must be different: Overcoming barriers to social care reform

    Adult social care services across England are struggling to keep up with increased demand, let alone improve. But failure is not an option.
  3. Queen Square Bus Station on Hood Street in Liverpool city centre

    En route to renewal: Delivering better, greener buses

    Good buses drive a strong economy, healthy environment and thriving society.