About 50% of people will not be in fuel poverty by definition, even if they spend all their income on energy

[cakeorwine]

It is of course unlikely that someone will spend all their income on fuel.

But the definition of fuel poverty is complicated.

Basically

1. Your house / flat has to have an energy band less than C
2. They look at what they think it would cost to keep your house warm when it comes to the cost of energy. They then deduct that cost from your equivalised income (See my other thread) and if that amount takes you below the poverty line, then you are in fuel poverty * (this is England's definition)

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1056842/fuel-poverty-factsheet-2020.pdf

In 2020, the fuel gap between what was needed to keep a house warm and what people in fuel poverty needed was £223

13% of households were fuel poor.

However, according to the EPC certificates, the median efficiency of houses is Band D - so that means that anyone in a house / flat of Band C or above cannot be defined as being fuel poor - even if they are spending a high proportion of their income on fuel

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/energyefficiencyofhousinginenglandandwales/2021#energy-efficiency-of-housing-in-england-and-wales-data

You can see the energy performance certificate of your house (if it has been done) here

www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate

Is there an AIBU? Yes - AIBU to think that is not a very helpful definition as you can be in a well insulated house but still be in poverty because of your fuel bills?

The depressing thing about my EPC is that any energy improvements will take many many many years to recoup the cost, even with the increase in energy bills.

Hopefully they will add value to the house, but this could be my forever house so that just helps DS

Band E and in bottom 10% of income, have absolutely no idea how I am going to get through the winter but equally appreciate that others in homes with higher incomes and better EPC's will also be in fuel poverty as they won't be able to afford to heat their homes either.

Statistics prove that statistics prove nothing at all.

Or at least you have to have full transparency and understanding. If politicians talk about ‘fuel poverty’ I would not have expected it to exclude anyone making a heating-or-eating choice this winter just because they live in a relatively newly built house/flat.

Exactly.

And you can guarantee that a politician will say that they have lifted people out of fuel poverty.

Except though this year, the increase in energy costs that people need (not necessarily use) to keep their house warm will increase people massively on this definition of fuel poverty.

As to how it should be defined - are people able to keep their house warm and if not, why not?

It could be income, poor insulation, both - or they just have a massive bloody house so that comes with big bills. Or they like it hot and they can't be bothered to turn down the heating. Or they have health needs so they need it warm. Or they have to be in more of the day so that's why they have higher bills.

It's a complicated situation as there are lots of reasons why someone's usage might be high. And there are people whose usage is low but that usage is still too expensive for them.

I wonder what a survey of people would reveal about the choices they are making about energy usage and why.

Some questions about income, insulation, type of house, insulation, heating needs.

I know that because I am out for a lot of the day and I live in a flat, my energy costs are low. Going up but still low.

But someone else in a similar flat, on a similar income, could have much higher energy costs because they could be in more, they could need a higher temperature etc.

I'm a band D on my EPC. I could spend (using median figures of the estimates provided in the EPC) £32108 to bring my property up to a band C. This would save me an estimated £434 a year - meanwhile it will take 65+ years to offset that saving into what I've paid out. EPC's are a nonsense. In my eyes fuel poverty hasn't got anything to do with your property banding - if you've got to consider whether it's worth putting the kettle on over having a shower or feeding yourself, it's not just fuel poverty, its poverty. I have an above average paying job, but I know over the next few months I will actually have to make those decisions. I really don't know how anyone on lower wages are going to manage, because I know I'm going to struggle.

I’m disabled, I’m a wheelchair user and I have a stoma. Stoma’s are not perfect. You get a batch with faulty glue you shit yourself three times a day and twice a night. Imagine how much washing and drying that is. In a normal week I will need at least one extra sheet change and possibly two extra clothing changes. For obvious reasons I need to shower daily, but because I’m disabled this takes longer than the four minutes recommended, significantly so. On top of this, I’m am unable to mobilise to keep warm. It going to be a bloody hard winter!