Affordable Warmth

affordable_warmth

Fuel poverty takes place when a household needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime. Among the causes of fuel poverty are; low household income, inefficient or expensive heating systems, poor insulation or expensive fuels.

Rising energy costs combined with the current financial climate will leave many struggling to pay their bills this winter and the number of residents living in fuel poverty could increase further. Those most at risk of fuel poverty are pensioners, people on low incomes, people in poor housing and those who spend a lot of time at home.

Living in a cold home can cause ill health, make existing illness worse, deepen poverty and debt, affect children’s education and increase social isolation. No one deserves to live in such conditions, but there are solutions and you can help those who need assistance.

How to recognise fuel poverty

Signs that indicate a resident is living in fuel poverty include:
Home feels cold or draughty, smells of damp
No visible form of heating or the only heating is open fire or stand alone heaters
Ventilators are blocked up
Temperature changes between rooms
Signs of condensation/dampness
Little or no food in the fridge
No evidence of recently prepared hot drinks
Not complaining despite the room feeling cold
Saying bills are too high or they owe money for fuel
Wanting to stay in hospital because it’s more comfortable
Using a pre-payment meter to avoid running up debt
Using only part of the house

How to help tackle fuel poverty

There is no single solution to fuel poverty, numerous groups need to be involved to make sure residents can access all the help available, faith groups are often in a perfect position to identify people in need of help and provide them with the guidance they need. See our contacts and resources section for organisations and contacts to signpost people to.

Here are some tips for helping people and households who are in fuel poverty:

Keeping warm and well

Eating for warmth is an important message to many people living in fuel poverty, especially older residents. Regular hot meals and drinks can provide much needed warmth and energy.
Homes are healthier if kept at the right temperature, the living room should be kept at 21oC (72o F) and the bedroom 18 o C (65 o F).

Offering benefits advice

Millions of pounds in benefits go unclaimed every year. Even if the benefit is a small amount, qualification can lead to entitlement to other schemes and assistance. The Citizens Advice Bureau can help residents access the benefits they are entitled to so they have more disposable income to heat their home. Pensioners can also contact the Pension Service for information (see resources page).

Dealing with high fuel bills

Consumer Direct/Focus (replaces Energywatch)

If a customer has a complaint they should first contact their energy supplier, but if the response is not satisfactory, the Government service Consumer Direct can:

help the customer take their complaint to the independent redress scheme for energy services;
refer vulnerable residents, who have been or are at risk of being disconnected by their energy supplier, to the Extra Help Unit at Consumer Focus;
provide information on tariffs and how to compare and switch to a new supplier.

How to contact Consumer Direct

Home Heat Helpline

The free Home Heat Helpline has been set up by the Energy Retail Association, which represents energy suppliers, for vulnerable customers having difficulties paying or understanding their fuel bills. How to contact Home Heat Helpline

Energy Tariffs

All the major energy suppliers and some of the smaller ones now offer social tariffs and cheaper energy deals to customers on low incomes.

Even if not eligible for a social tariff, switching supplier(s) can save a household up to £280 per year, especially if the resident has never changed their supplier or have not changed their supplier for a while. There are a number of comparison services designed to help customers switch to the best tariff through a web-search or a telephone advisor. The Home Heat Helpline and Consumer Direct can offer guidance on using these services (see resources page).

The Priority Services Register (PSR)

The PSR is available to pensioners, the disabled and the chronically sick.

Residents register for the PSR direct with their gas and electricity suppliers or through the Home Heat Helpline, and are entitled to a number of free services, such as:

free annual gas safety checks for qualifying customers;
password protection for house visits;
large print, Braille and talking bills or bill nominee scheme;
quarterly meter reading or moving meters for better access;
priority power in an emergency for essential medical equipment or providing alternative heating/cooking facilities;
a guarantee that suppliers cannot disconnect their property in winter.

Offering Energy Debt advice

Customers should discuss their circumstances with their energy supplier to find a suitable way to pay debt. Failing that, suppliers are obliged to offer to install a pre-payment meter to avoid disconnection, which is the last resort.

Suppliers will offer vulnerable customers help, such as installing a pre-payment meter or putting them onto the Fuel Direct payment scheme. If help is refused and the customer continues to be at risk, social services will be notified.

Consumer Direct can provide valuable advice and guidance to customers dealing with very high and/or complicated energy bills and debts.

Tackling poor energy efficiency

Adequate Heating System

Central heating with an efficient gas boiler is usually the most cost effective option but knowing how to use the controls is important.
Electric bar fires, electric radiators or bottle gas fires are very expensive and a trip hazard. It is cheaper to run gas central heating in all rooms than to run a two bar electric fire in just one.
Storage heating should be operated on Economy 7 or an equivalent energy deal to take advantage of cheaper night rates. Again, it’s important to use the controls efficiently.
Households may be eligible for help to repair/install heating systems through the Warm Front Grants (How to contact Warm Front).

Adequate Insulation

Loft insulation can reduce bills by around £155 a year, and cavity wall insulation by around £120. Part-payment and 100% grants for homes are available through all energy suppliers and many local councils.
Some homes have solid walls, no loft space and/or no connection to the gas network which makes them harder to heat and insulate. Interior and exterior solid wall insulation can work but is more expensive than cavity wall insulation and no grants are available in Arun. The Energy Saving Trust or National Insulation Association can give advice (see resources page).
Only 10% of heat is lost through windows, but up to £110 a year can be saved by fitting double glazing. Secondary glazing can also save money but no grants for windows are currently available in Sussex.

Adequate draught-proofing

Draughts make a house feel colder than it is. Professional draught proofing is cheap and easy and even a heavy curtain across a door can make a difference.

Adequate ventilation

Heating and insulation will reduce condensation, but ventilation is needed to eradicate damp. After a bath/shower or when cooking, residents should open a window briefly or install an extractor fan and always keep lids on pans when cooking.

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This page was last updated on 10/05/10 at 09:35:02
Office Use Only: 3/12-02-11/Helen Swyer