Nearly three million households projected to face fuel poverty in England

BEIS figures show the share of fuel-poor households in England is projected to fall from 13.4% in 2019 to 12.5% this year

Nearly three million UK households could face fuel poverty this year, according to BEIS annual fuel poverty projections.

To estimate the extent of the country’s fuel poverty, the study used a tool that considers a household to be fuel-poor if it is living in a property with an energy efficiency rating of band between D and G and its total income is below the poverty line.

Figures suggest the proportion of households in fuel poverty is projected to keep decreasing this year as a result of progress in the installation of energy efficiency measures – the share of households is predicted to fall from 13.4% in 2019 to 12.5% in 2021.

The government has set a target that ‘as many fuel poor households as reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency rating of band C’ by 2030.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said: “These figures are the first under the new measurement for fuel poverty and show the scale of the challenge facing governments, both at a national and local level.

“While any predicted reduction in fuel poverty is to be welcomed, we are concerned that the reduction in Covid financial support later this year will offset any improvement predicted.

“We also need to see continued and renewed emphasis on delivering policies that will end fuel poverty as quickly as possible.”

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