FUEL POVERTY IN THE UK – SCOTTISH CITIES ARE BADLY HIT BUT WALES HAS THE WORST GAP

Worst five cities for proportion in fuel poverty are all in Scotland

Wales has the highest fuel poverty gap at £557

Two new maps from MoneySuperMarket explore the fuel poverty gap and the wastage of energy across the UK

Parts of the UK are wasting as much as £115 on inefficient boilers, bulbs, and insulation, as well as by leaving household electronics on standby, according to new research by MoneySuperMarket.

Fuel poverty, where a household can’t afford adequate heating, is a major issue in the UK. With 10.8% of households classified as fuel poor, and an average fuel poverty gap – the amount needed per household to achieve the minimum standard – of £371, and temperatures dropping quickly, much of the UK may be at risk.

Cities such as Dudley have few concerns, being number 47 for energy wastage and 40th for the poverty gap. But Glasgow and Edinburgh are clearly suffering for their inefficiencies, making it into the top ten for both maps. High wastage potential and a wide gap mean they have the most to benefit from improving their energy efficiency and potentially switching energy provider.

Fuel Poverty
The gap in fuel poverty varies drastically across the country, reaching as much as £557 in areas of Wales and as little as £256 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Even more pronounced is the difference in proportion of residents considered fuel poor. The five worst afflicted cities are as follows:

Dundee – 28% of Dundee residents are considered fuel poor: they’re also 5th for energy waste, with a potential household wastage of £115.
Glasgow – 26% are below the requirements for paying for their heating.
Edinburgh – a quarter of residents of the Scottish capital are likely to be cold this winter.
Aberdeen – the coastal city is likely to suffer even more from the sea winds and being the northernmost city on the list, as well as 24% of residents being fuel poor.
Falkirk – the least proportion of fuel poor residents among the Scottish cities, but still 22% of the population are living in fuel poverty.

The most striking feature of the top five is that all of the cities are Scottish; those with the least problem tend to be those closer to the south of England. But Scotland’s average fuel gap is £437 – still less than several cities in the South West of England, including Bristol and Plymouth.

Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “It is upsetting to think of so many households in fuel poverty where some of the most significant ways of helping this are not being taken advantage of.

“Many of these households will still be on the most expensive tariffs and could save hundreds of pounds a year by switching, even to a tariff from the same supplier. For those most struggling, many suppliers have schemes and initiatives to help.

“So the advice has to be to do a comparison and switch to a cheaper tariff (get someone to help you if you are unsure what to do) and always keep in touch with your supplier on ways they can help you”

These high energy costs severely affect the quality of life for many people. To see how energy waste has an impact on fuel poverty, and get an insight into how you might be able to save on your energy bills, have a look at the maps here.

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/hubs/gas-and-electricity/fuel-poverty-impact/

Image source: MoneySuperMarket