As if the cost of energy wasn’t already high enough, a new report commissioned by the government predicts that the number of people struggling to keep up with the high cost of fuel could actually double within the next four years.
That would bring the number of UK households struggling to keep up with the high costs of fuel up to approximately 10 million. This is said to be due to a rise in prices as well as green taxes that are going to be levied against non-compliant businesses, but consumers will bear the brunt of it.
Since measures in place to help families go green are not being as widespread as originally planned, some say these plans are not really worth the time, effort or money. Experts question if this policy is even worthwhile. The figures are highly disappointing and of course, government will be unable to end fuel poverty by the year 2016. Instead of eradicating it, fuel poverty is projected to double.
When looking at these figures, it is important to understand exactly what fuel poverty means. According to a standard definition, fuel poverty is the result of energy costing greater than 10pc of the income a household brings in. At the current time this is approximately 4 million of the 21.5 million households in England who are indeed struggling in order to pay power bills.
Professor Hills of the London School of Economics said that this number may increase to 9.2 million by the target deadline, 2016, if the current trend continues. This would result in approximately 43% of households in England at or below the fuel poverty level. It appears as though some are seeking to change the definition of fuel poverty, but Prof Hill still believes even this will have little effect as there is no sensible way in which to accurately measure fuel poverty.
