Age UK responds to new fuel poverty statistics

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “Despite the Government’s definition of fuel poverty significantly underestimating the scale of the problem, today’s figures are shocking and only serve to reiterate the need for a radical rethink of the Government's energy policy. Pre-payment meter customers continue to have the highest fuel poverty rate, with well over a quarter in fuel poverty, and households reliant on alternative fuels to keep warm, like heating oil and bottled gas, have a much higher fuel poverty rate than mains gas users.

“These figures show that fuel poverty is deepening across the board, with the fuel poverty gap –– the amount of support needed for a household to be lifted out of fuel poverty – climbing substantially since 2021. Once again homes reliant on alternative heating fuels have been hit particularly hard, with a fuel poverty gap of around £1000 – a staggering 59 per cent increase since 2019. This is appalling and shows just how much some groups in particular need continued government support to help them afford their rocketing energy bills.

“We urge the Government to make permanent its ban on forced pre-payment meters and maintain its energy support beyond April at a level which avoids an unaffordable hike in bills. Longer term the Government should introduce an energy social tariff so that older people no longer feel forced to self-disconnect or live in cold homes due to the fear of huge bills.”