What is fuel poverty?
Fuel poverty in England is measured statistically using the Low Income High Costs definition, under which a household is considered to be in fuel poverty if:
- They have required fuel costs that are above average (the national median spend on fuel)
- Were they to spend that amount they would be left with a residual income below the official poverty line
Whether or not a household is affected by fuel poverty is largely determined by the following three factors:
- The energy efficiency of the property
- The cost of energy
- The household income
The causes of fuel poverty
Fuel poverty is caused by several factors:
- Inadequate access to information
- Inefficient heating systems
- Inadequate insulation
- Poor housing stock
- High Fuel Prices