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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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More action needed on fuel poverty
November 16, 2007 12:00 AM
By Peter Black in Seaside News
By Peter Black in Seaside News
Recent figures show that the number of people living in fuel poverty has almost doubled from an estimated 130,000 households in 2004 to 240,000 households in 2007.
Between 2003 and 2006 electricity prices rose 64% and gas prices rose 90%. The average annual fuel bill of a Welsh household is now £1000, 10% higher than the UK national average.
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) grants have paid out over £50 million towards helping improve fuel efficiency in homes and reduce fuel poverty. However, according to the government's 'living in Wales' report, only 29% of those who benefited from the Scheme were actually classed as living in fuel poverty, which is defined as when 10% or more of their income is used to heat their homes.
There must be an urgent review of how this money is distributed. We need to help those most in need of support, especially now that winter has set in. The government needs to review how money is distributed to ensure that as many households as possible are helped by the HEES scheme. They need to target it better at those living in fuel poverty so as to increase the proportion of such people helped.
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