One in eight Luton households in fuel poverty

One in eight Luton households were in fuel poverty in 2022, new figures show.

Energy prices skyrocketed from the end of 2021 due to reduced supply and geopolitical issues, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, putting more pressure on hard-up households.

Latest estimates from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities suggest 10,520 households in Luton were living in fuel poverty in 2022 - 13 per cent of the 80,760 households in the area. This puts Luton above the England average of 13.1 per cent.

Nationally, 3.2 million households were estimated to be in fuel poverty in 2022, a similar figure to the year before.

In addition, there were 574 neighbourhoods where at least a third of households were suffering fuel poverty, including 32 where this was true of half of households in the neighbourhood. None of these were in Luton.

Households are judged to be in fuel poverty if they are below the poverty line and living in a house with an energy efficiency rating of D or worse.

Adam Scorer, chief executive of the National Energy Action fuel poverty charity said: "This data shows how fuel poverty hits different parts of England harder – areas with the lowest incomes and draughtiest homes."

The charity is calling for a social tariff for those people on the lowest incomes, alongside help for those in debt and greater investment in improving the energy efficiency of homes.

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: "Today’s figures show our energy bill support schemes and progress in making homes more energy efficient have protected hundreds of thousands of households from fuel poverty.

"Almost half of all homes in England now at an EPC rating of C or above, up from 14% in 2010.

"We do recognise the cost-of-living challenges families are facing, which is why we’re spending £108 billion supporting households with their bills, including targeted support for those who need it through the £150 Warm Home Discount."