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EST welcomes Fuel Poverty Action Plan
2nd December 2004
The Energy Saving Trust (EST) warmly welcomed the Government’s fuel poverty action plan, published this week. The plan outlines the policies aimed at delivering the Government’s target to eradicate fuel poverty for vulnerable households by 2010.
A fuel poor home is defined as one in which a tenth or more of household income is spent on just trying to keep reasonably warm. Warm Front is the key Government programme tasked with tackling the blight of fuel poverty.
“Energy efficiency has a key role to play in the eradication of fuel poverty,” said EST’s Chief Executive, Philip Sellwood. “We welcome the announcement of changes to the Warm Front Programme, which will maximise its impact - in particular the additional £140 million of investment for the scheme.”
EST is overseeing an in-depth evaluation of the impact of Warm Front on the health of its clients. Due over the course of 2005/06, the results of this work should help us to understand in greater detail how energy efficient homes can improve the health of their residents.
EST also runs the Community Energy Programme, which provides grants for the installation and refurbishment of community energy systems across the UK. One of its key aims is to help 100,000 people on low incomes heat their homes and to provide cost savings for households over the life of the schemes. Since 2002, over 16,000 fuel poor individuals have been connected to community heating projects under the programme.
“EST looks forward to continuing to work with Government to help deliver its fuel poverty targets,” said Philip Sellwood. “These proposed plans will not only result in lower fuel bills and better health for the most vulnerable of households, they will also help the UK meet its climate change targets, by reducing energy use and thereby reducing carbon emissions.”
