The number of households in fuel poverty in England increased by 100,000 last year, bringing the total to 3.26 million, according to new figures from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
But this data lags a year behind and does not capture the effects of the ongoing energy crisis. In 2023, fuel poverty in England is expected to affect 3.53 million households, rising from 13.4% to 14.4% of the total.
The National Energy Action charity points out that last February, the average annual energy bill was £1271 and now it is £2500. It is expected to rise to an annual average of £3000 from April, putting pressure on the chancellor to ditch his plans to end energy bill support for householders.
Chief executive of National Energy Action, Adam Scorer, says: “Over 3.2 million households in England are in fuel poverty but the worst of the energy crisis is not represented – people being forced to self-disconnect, struggling with ice on the inside of their windows and living with damp and cold. And the situation will not get better. Without government intervention – both for energy efficiency measures and financial support with bills – the number in fuel poverty will continue to rise.”
Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, adds: “The data proves that households across England suffered in cold damp homes this winter because the country has failed to fix the roof when the sun was shining and help those most at risk from the energy bills crisis due to poorly insulated homes.
“The government has also admitted that in 2022 around a third of households were spending more than 10% of their income on their energy bills – even after their housing costs were taken into account. Now is not the time to increase energy bills as the government plans to do from April 1. What people desperately need is more financial support in the short term, along with a rapid rollout of energy efficiency measures and reform of Britain’s broken energy system.”
Richard Neudegg, director of regulation at Uswitch.com, comments: “Sky-high energy prices pushed 100,000 more households into fuel poverty last year, but the situation could have been much worse without political intervention. The government has taken a universal approach with its support measures so far to ensure that no one falls through the cracks and misses out.
“However, this has come at a cost. Many households received a helping hand even if they didn’t need it, and for those in most need, it wasn’t always enough. The energy crisis has demonstrated how vital it is that the UK’s most vulnerable customers are protected.
“The Energy Bill Support prevented 350,000 additional people falling into fuel poverty, but the government must not take its eye off the ball. Energy prices remain high and falling wholesale prices are not yet being passed down to consumers through fixed deals or the Energy Price Guarantee.
“In the longer term more targeted support for the vulnerable is crucial, which could include an energy social tariff for those who need it most.”
