New figures released by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero show that approximately 3.26 million households were affected by fuel poverty in 2022, an increase of 100,000 households from the 2021 figure.
Fuel poverty is the condition by which a household is unable to afford to heat (or cool) their home to an adequate temperature. It is caused by low income, high fuel prices, poor energy efficiency, unaffordable housing prices and poor quality private rental housing.
The projection for 2023 is that the number of fuel poor households will increase a further 260,000.
The report also highlighted that the number of households in England spending more than 10% of their income on energy bills rose from 4.93 million in 2021 to 7.39 million in 2022 reinforcing the call from charities urging the Chancellor to extend the Energy Price Guarantee.
Looking into the detail at a local level, 7,645 families are now in fuel poverty with the average fuel poverty gap – the reduction in fuel costs needed for a household to not be in fuel poverty – at £521.
The news comes as Labour calls on the Chancellor to bring in a proper windfall tax on energy giants to fund package of support for energy bills including new measure to pass on savings to households immediately, by stopping the energy price cap going up from April.
Talking about the number of local households living in fuel poverty, Swindon Borough Council Labour group leader Councillor Jim Robbins said: “Too many families in Swindon are struggling to make ends meet – the last thing they need is an energy price hike this April. That’s why Labour is calling on ministers to bring in a proper windfall tax on the bumper profits of energy giants to fund support for bill payers and stop the cap from rising.
“But we have got to do much more to get this country moving again. That’s why Keir Starmer has set out his 5 missions to build a better Britain – including securing the highest sustained growth in the G7, to help families in places like Swindon feel better off.”
