Thousands living in fuel poverty

MORE action must be taken to help the 28,774 households in Warwickshire experiencing fuel poverty to help prevent further unnecessary deaths from living in cold homes.

It is estimated that 12.2 per cent of homes are ‘fuel poor’, meaning they cannot afford to keep warm at a reasonable cost given their income.

Households in rural parts of the county experience on average a £700 gap between their energy bills and what they can realistically afford, more than double that of urban areas.

Malcolm Farrow, of OFTEC, which represents the oil heating industry, said: “It is shocking that in 2018 fuel poverty continues to be such a major problem and a source of great distress for so many.

"The cold weather recently has made the last few weeks particularly difficult, especially in rural parts of Warwickshire where houses tend to be less well insulated against the cold.”

The government publishes annual fuel poverty statistics.