Developing local fuel poverty alliances

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Developing local fuel poverty alliances
integrating work on health and energy

• Chris Church
• Community Environment Associates

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Climate, Energy and fuel poverty

• Climate Change is at the core of all work on
  energy and our futures. But there is not much
  day-to-day concern, notably in poorer
  communities.
• Energy is needed by every household how that
  energy is produced, sold and used is a key issue
  for creating stronger communities
• Fuel poverty is how energy issues impact on many
  communities

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Fuel Poverty a short overview
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What is fuel poverty? (1)

• The old / standard definition
• When a household has to spend 10 or more of its
  income to heat its home to a reasonable standard.

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What is fuel poverty? (2)

• This definition is seen as inadequate as it
  includes high income households with hard-to-
  heat homes.
• The recent government review by John Hills (LSE)
  recommends classifying households as fuel poor if
  they have required fuel costs that are above the
  median level and were they to spend that amount
  they would be left with a residual income below
  the official poverty line
• This definition is discussed in the new DECC Fuel
  Poverty Framework.

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Fuel Poverty the new approach
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But...

• The poverty line is defined as having an income
  below 60 per cent of median once energy costs are
  taken into account.
• This ignores some issues around affordability.
• There will always be people under the median
  line
• so there will always be fuel poverty..
• So why should the Government try and eradicate
  it?
• Why not just stick to something everyone
  understands?

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UK work to eradicate fuel poverty

• The target To eradicate fuel poverty as far as
  reasonably practical in vulnerable households by
  2010 and in all households by 2016
• Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000
• The Hills review forecast that in 2016, on
  current policy and price expectations, 8.5
  million people in 2.9 million households will
  still be in fuel poverty.
• DECC now seem to be looking to manage not
  eradicate.

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Cold homes...

• Cold homes cost the NHS in England 1.36 billion
  every year (Age UK - The cost of cold report )
• Each year there are c. 27,000 excess winter
  deaths, most among older people and caused by
  respiratory problems, strokes and heart attacks
  due to cold temperatures.
• Even in relatively mild winters, there are around
  8,000 extra deaths for every one degree drop in
  average temperature,.
• People living in the coldest homes are three
  times as likely to die from a cold-related
  illness compared to those in warmer homes.

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Cold Homes Susans story

• This is about peoples lives
• My 11-year old daughter and I are currently
  moving out of a rented house. The house is
  freezing cold, with no draught proofing and
  draughty sash windows with huge visible gaps in
  the window frames. During the recent cold
  weather, ice formed on the inside of the window
  each morning.

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Energy efficiency in homes
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Energy efficiency in homes

• Energy efficiency is how effective a home is at
  using and not wasting energy

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UK Housing Stock

• 22 million homes in the UK
• 70 are owner occupied
• 8.4m homes were built before 1945
• 27 of UK carbon emissions

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Improving energy efficiency of homes the best
solution for eradicating fuel poverty

• Our analysis shows that improving the housing of
  those at risk is the most cost-effective way of
  tackling the problem, cutting energy waste, with
  large long-term benefits to society as a whole.
  We need a renewed and ambitious strategy to do
  this
• Professor John Hills, Government Independent
  review of fuel poverty

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The bottom line...

• Demand reduction is the key factor both in
  reducing fuel poverty and achieving our climate
  change targets.
• But different strategies are needed for
  high-income / high carbon households and those on
  lower incomes.
• Any local strategy needs to target both (and not
  use a one-size fits all approach)
• Investment in low carbon energy does not cause
  fuel poverty and is an essential part of
  long-term cost savings

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Getting the measure of fuel poverty...

• Final Report of the Fuel Poverty Review, John
  Hills 2012
• Tackling fuel poverty offers a multiple payoff
  better living standards and conditions for people
  with low incomes, an improved and more energy
  efficient housing stock, fewer winter deaths and
  reduced costs for the NHS.

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Improving energy efficiency of homes the best
solution for eradicating fuel poverty

• Our analysis shows that improving the housing of
  those at risk is the most cost-effective way of
  tackling the problem, cutting energy waste, with
  large long-term benefits to society as a whole.
  We need a renewed and ambitious strategy to do
  this
• Professor John Hills, Government Independent
  review of fuel poverty

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Getting the measure of fuel poverty...

• Final Report of the Fuel Poverty Review, John
  Hills 2012
• Tackling fuel poverty offers a multiple payoff
  better living standards and conditions for people
  with low incomes, an improved and more energy
  efficient housing stock, fewer winter deaths and
  reduced costs for the NHS.

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The bottom line...

• Demand reduction is the key factor both in
  reducing fuel poverty and achieving our climate
  change targets.
• But different strategies are needed for
  high-income / high carbon households and those on
  lower incomes.
• Any local strategy needs to target both (and not
  use a one-size fits all approach)
• Investment in low carbon energy does not cause
  fuel poverty and is an essential part of
  long-term cost savings

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Climate change, fuel poverty and public health  

• So how do these issues linked and who can offer
  support?
• What are the main issues for the sector?
• Who are the key players and influencers?

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Fuel Poverty where you live

• Fuel Poverty stats are produced by the
  Government and plenty of information exists. Data
  is available on the estimated total number of
  households, the estimated number of fuel poor
  households, and the proportion of households in
  fuel poverty for Parliamentary Constituency,
  Local Authority and Lower Super Output Area
  (LSOA).
• Download a spreadsheet from the DECC website
  http//www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/f
  uelpov_stats/regional/regional.asp.
• Data at Census Output Area (COA) level is also
  available to users on request, by emailing
  fuelpoverty_at_decc.gsi.gov.uk.

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Whos there already?

• There are various agencies working on fuel
  poverty. (Research / google fuel poverty, energy
  and your area)

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Who do we need to engage?

• Our own organisations?
• Voluntary agencies
• Wider community organisations (faith groups etc.)
• The health sector
• The council
• And?....

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Engaging the health sector

• Improving energy inefficient dwellings improves
  health and well-being of households, reducing
  demands on the health sector.
• There have been big changes in public health
  management. We now have Health and Wellbeing
  Boards (HWE) for every area surely a logical
  place for work on fuel poverty?
• A recent Age UK survey shows that only 4 of HWB
  gave both fuel poverty and excess winter deaths
  the priority status that it needs.
• 42 of Health and Wellbeing Board strategies
  failed to mention fuel poverty or excess winter
  deaths as an issue.
• Over 75 of HWB Strategies failed to acknowledge
  fuel poverty or excess winter deaths as
  priorities, or have plans in place to combat
  issues surrounding fuel poverty within their
  community.

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Local networks

• The CVS / RCC
• Local council managed partnerships
• Environmental networks
• Inter-faith work
• Healthwatch
• And...

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Making the links on Fuel Poverty / Energy
Efficiency

• Do the background research find the other
  agencies active (they are there)
• Get the local evidence (e.g. DECC figures)
• Read the local HWB strategy
• Be clear on what you /your organisation can
  really offer
• Understand others reservations
• Those suffering from FP may have little interest
  in sustainability / energy policy

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So what do we do?

• Find other concerned organisations build local
  support (see the handout for material to use).
  Who has direct contact with people facing fuel
  poverty?

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Starting engagement

• Listen! Understand the community and their
  concerns
• Start will local concerns the state of the
  neighbourhood may be a good place to start
• Choose an entry point to energy / climate
  issues (e.g. energy bills, future planning
  floods?)
• Set up clear links from their concerns to your
  issues

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Building local engagement

• A new project or initiative needs to be planned
  carefully.
• Objectives and overall aims?
• Resources?
• Targets?
• Partners?

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• THANK YOU!
• chrischurch_at_cooptel.net