Fuel Poverty Deaths Three Times Higher than Government Estimates
Powerful article this – it suggests that fuel poverty a “predominantly rural” phenomena has been understated. It tells us:
“Fuel poverty is defined as when someone needs to spend 10 per cent or more on heating their home. The new total – calculated using World Health Organisation guidance and official excess winter death figures – is four times as many fatalities as happen in road accidents each year.
The previous government estimate put the total of deaths relating to fuel poverty at just 2,700 a year. That was included in a report last year byProfessor John Hills, who is expected to produce his final recommendations on fuel poverty next month.
Yet the latest Office of National Statistics figures show that there were 25,700 excess winter deaths in England and Wales in winter 2010. Meanwhile the latest WHO research suggests that 30 to 40 per cent of the excess winter deaths can be attributed to fuel poverty. “
March 2, 2012 @ 2:10 pm
You’ll have to forgive my cynicism but I have heard a lot said about fuel poverty in my organisation and others. One question I have never had a satisfactory answer to is:”when claiming fuel poverty, does any one ask how much a family pays for satellite TV a month and how much is spent on smoking”. i would think that if you can afford to smoke and watch Sky tv then fuel poverty is not really an issue.