Fuel Poverty - A household which is spending 10% or more of its income on heating and lighting.

What can contribute to fuel poverty?

• Very low incomes resulting in a larger proportion being spent on fuel
• High and rising energy prices
• Poor energy efficiency in the home
• Unfair payment methods such as pre-payment meters with hidden charges.
• Low level of awareness

 

What are the effects of fuel poverty?

Living in cold homes can damage people’s health and affect their quality of life.

The elderly, children, and those with a disability or long-term illness are

especially vulnerable.

Last winter, over five million households in the UK struggled to heat and power their homes and many older people, disabled people and families living on low incomes had to choose between keeping warm and putting food on the table. Every year over 20,000 more people die in the winter months than in the summer months, largely due to cold-related illnesses. Many more become ill as a result of living in cold, damp homes caused by lack of heating. 

Fuel poverty can also lead to social isolation and many customers end up with large debts.

 

What is being done about it?

The Government has published its Fuel Poverty Strategy, in this document they state that they aim to eradicate fuel poverty from vulnerable households by 2010, and from all households by 2016.  You can download a copy of the strategy from the links at the top right hand side of this page.

Consumer Focus have created an 'End Fuel Poverty Campaign', you can access their website here, or join their Facebook page here.

 

What can you find help and advice?

Coastline has a large number of leaflets in the reception area of our offices, there are also links on the tope right hand side of this page to some useful documents.

 

Keep Warm Keep Well is a national campaign to reduce cold-related illness and deaths during winter. You'll find information and advice about how to stay well in winter by keeping warm and what financial support is available.  Access their website here.

Turn2us

Another useful website for access to help and advice regarding fuel poverty.  Click here to go to the website.

Subscribe to the free email newsletter provided by Martin Lewis - Money Saving Expert.  This newsletter is crammed full of useful tips and information on energy and fuel providers, who represents the best value for money, how to switch providers etc.

His website can be accessed here:-  http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/

 

Money saving initiative for customers with oil central heating

With the cost of heating oil rising fast, and suppliers charging for each delivery, filling a tank of oil is now becoming increasingly difficult for low income families.

Across the country, groups of residents including our very own residents at Gweal Darras, Mabe, are clubbing together to arrange for 'group' deliveries of heating oil.

By grouping together and arranging a single large delivery to an estate rather than 15 seperate deliveries for example, helps bring the costs down for everyone due to the lower delivery charges involved.

Oil companies are reporting that as much as 4 pence per litre is being saved by residents, and some deliveries for as much as 15,000 litres of oil are now being requested.

 

* * * * Coastline's Fuel Poverty Action Day* * * *

Coastline Housing's Income Management Team will be running a Fuel Poverty Action Day on 30th September 2010.  This will involve a large number of staff visiting as many Coastline properties as possible to provide help, advice and information on how to avoid fuel poverty. The teams will also be loaded up with money saving freebies, so watch out for them!!