Despite government pledges to eradicate fuel poverty in the UK, the latest official figures indicate that the number of households living in fuel poverty rose to 4.5 million in 2008.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)’s own statistics reveal that an extra half a million households joined the ranks of those spending more than 10% of their household income on heating their homes.
The analysis predicts that this winter around four million homes will remain in fuel poverty. The report blames rising fuel prices, which rose by an average of 80% between 2004 and 2008, for the increase.
DECC says it expects the figures to show a slight decrease in fuel poor households in 2009, a result in part from falling prices as well as efforts to improve the energy efficiency of housing.
“It’s a national disgrace that over four million households are still living in fuel poverty in the 21st century,” says Dave Timms from Friends of the Earth.
“Dramatically improving the energy efficiency of our cold and draughty houses is the only long-term solution to fuel poverty… yet the Coalition has not set out a clear strategy to eliminate fuel poverty. This is urgently needed if they are to improve on Labour’s poor record,” he adds.
According to Friends of the Earth, many of those living in fuel poverty are tenants and unable to undertake measures to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The organisation is urging the Government to introduce a legally binding minimum energy efficiency standard for private rented homes.