Millions of households will have to pay an extra £250 a year for fuel due to rising living costs due to leaking homes, councils have warned.
Analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) has found that England’s 3 million fuel-starved households pay an average of £250 extra a year because heat is wasted through poorly insulated walls, roofs and windows.
The LGA, which represents 350 councils in England and Wales, has called for a redoubled effort to insulate all fuel-poor households, which its analysis shows will save millions in energy bills every year.
poor
This demand joins a growing number of calls for the UK government to do more to improve energy efficiency in homes, save on bills, support security of supply and reduce carbon emissions by reducing the need for gas and other fuels.
This week, in the face of rising bills, the independent advisory climate change committee slammed the government for “shocking” gaps in ensuring homes are better insulated.
Advisers are calling for increased funding for energy efficiency in fuel-poor homes and policies to incentivise homeowners to improve their properties, and for the government to work with local councils on retrofits.
Official statistics earlier this year showed that one in eight households, or about 3 million households, were in a state of fuel shortage by 2020, even before soaring gas prices.
In England, official statistics now consider a household to be in fuel poverty if it has an energy efficiency rating of D or below and its disposable income after housing and fuel costs is below the poverty line.
efficiency
An LGA analysis released this week at the local government’s annual meeting in Harrogate shows two million fuel-starved households will need extra help to implement energy efficiency measures by 2030, raising the household’s rating to a C rating.
Councils say extra help is needed for these homes to meet the government’s ambition to convert 3.1 million fuel-poor homes to a C energy rating by 2030 – nearly 900 homes a day for the decade.
Focusing on fuel-poor households will save up to £770m a year in household energy bills by 2030, and £500m a year in NHS spending on health problems caused by cold, wet and ventilated homes, the LGA said.
It will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 670,000 tons per year starting in 2030.
While the government has rolled out a major package to ease the cost-of-living crisis in the near term and expanded the obligations of energy companies to support energy efficiency measures for poor households and pay consumer bills, more Need. It urged ministers to consider further investment in energy efficiency.
win-win
