Fuel poverty falls in Wales
The proportion of households in Wales thought to be living in a state of fuel poverty has decreased by 6% in 4 years. The finding is a result of the report by the Building Research Establishment. The levels are estimated to have decreased from 29% in 2012 to 23% in 2016.
In the same period the report advised that the number of vulnerable households in fuel poverty has decreased by 7% and the number in severe fuel poverty has decreased by 2%.
The report anticipates that the decrease is a result of rising household incomes and a reduction in energy consumption due to energy efficiency improvements. The Welsh Government Warm Homes programme is designed to promote energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty.
The Welsh government has made a commitment of £26 million into the programme this year and since its inception in 2011. Lesley Griffiths said:
“The findings of this report by the Building Research Establishment make for extremely encouraging reading. They reveal an estimated 6 percentage points reduction in the number of Welsh households in fuel poverty, in four years.”
“Tackling the effects of fuel poverty is a key objective of this government. This is why we are so committed to investing tens of millions of pounds in programmes such as Warm Homes which includes the Nest and Arbed schemes.”
“Tackling fuel poverty makes sense on so many levels. Not only does it directly improve the lives of people on low incomes but is also helps us to reduce carbon emissions and stimulate significant growth in the economy – a true sustainable development approach.”