The number of fuel poor households in England is now higher than at any time recorded since Labour came to power, shocking new Government figures estimate today. The Government's fuel poverty strategy was slammed by Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged, who are taking Ministers to court on Monday, October 6, 2008, over its failure to tackle fuel poverty.
The Government's annual fuel poverty progress report - which has been published today - reveals that:
- In 2008, 3.5 million households in England are estimated to be in fuel poverty - in 1998 [1] the figure was 3.4 million.
- The number of English homes in fuel poverty is estimated to have risen almost three-fold since 2004, when it stood at 1.2 million.
- The Government admits that it will miss its legal target to eliminate fuel poverty for vulnerable households by 2010.
Friends of the Earth director Andy Atkins said:
"The Government's fuel poverty strategy is in meltdown - fuel poverty in England has tripled in four years and it is estimated that more English households are now in fuel poverty than have ever been recorded under this Government's leadership.
"The only long term solution to fuel poverty is a massive energy efficiency programme. This will heat homes, cut bills and help meet our targets for tackling climate change.
"Ministers have legal obligations to do all they can to end fuel poverty - Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged are taking the Government to court next week to ensure that they do."
Mervyn Kohler, Special Adviser for Help the Aged, says:
"Fuel poverty is escalating out of control and the response from Government has been completely feeble. According to today's progress report, it is now obvious to all that the Government will not meet its legal obligation to eradicate fuel poverty in vulnerable households by 2010. This is a far cry from the progress we need.
"This winter, millions of people will be cutting back on food or fuel or both, putting their health in jeopardy and living in misery. The Government's report lists at length the measures it is taking, but with no assessment of how effective they will be at reducing fuel poverty.
"What's needed is a Government strategy that combines both short and long term solutions - crisis payments to help with the here and now and, in the longer term, improvements to the energy efficiency of our housing stock. That's why Help the Aged and Friends of the Earth have sought a judicial review, to ensure the Government finally delivers on its duty to end fuel poverty."
This Judicial Review will take place before a High Court judge on 6-7 October.
Although the Government is legally bound to do all that is reasonably practical to eradicate fuel poverty for vulnerable households by 2010 and for all households by 2016, five million households in England will struggle to heat and power their homes this winter. In February this year, the Government's own advisory group, the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group, reported that the Government appears to have given up on its 2010 target altogether. The charities' case will highlight:
- Government failure to provide a comprehensive and costed plan of action for meeting its targets;
- Government failure to set a minimum standard of energy efficiency to be applied to affected households;
- Repeated criticism of the Government from the independent Fuel Poverty Advisory Group;
- The Government's own admission that targets to reduce and eventually eliminate fuel poverty are likely to be missed.
Source: Friends of the Earth
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