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Fuel poverty deaths at a 15-year high
The number of energy efficiency measures installed in British homes has fallen by a staggering 80% since 2012, and the number of households helped with energy efficiency measures has fallen by three-quarters – according to research released by the Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE).
In addition, investment in home energy efficiency has declined by over half, says ACE, which has strongly criticised the Treasury for endangering the lives of Britain’s most vulnerable citizens and failing in the recent Budget to provide more support for home energy efficiency. The report was published on the day that BBC Panorama broadcast its investigation into the failure of the government to end fuel poverty. Sixteen years ago the government of the day legislated to end fuel poverty by 2016.
Fuel poverty campaigners point to the most recent Excess Winter Death (above average mortality between December and March) figures of 43,900 deaths in England and Wales, as published by the Office for National Statistics This is at a 15-year high. A third of Excess Winter Deaths are attributed to the UK’s cold homes, some of the least energy efficient in Europe.
The research found that the very low level of energy efficiency support now on offer is set to continue for the rest of this Parliament. During the last Parliament, 5mn households were helped but it is estimated that only 1.2mn households will receive energy efficiency measures this Parliament.
The Government axed its Warm Front programme during the last Parliament, and the Green Deal and Green Deal Home Improvement Fund last year. It also axed the UK’s zero carbon policy for new homes. Only the Energy Company Obligation is left, a levy on energy bills that was reduced in the Spending Review in December 2015, says ACE.
Jenny Holland, Head of Campaigns at ACE, said: ‘These research findings are truly shocking. The UK has some of the worst housing stock in Europe, with levels of fuel poverty unheard of in much colder countries like Sweden.’
News Item details
Journal title: Energy World
Subjects: Energy efficiency, Banking, finance and investment, Fuel poverty, Energy policy, Green Deal, Carbon emissions
