Video - Vulnerable Customers and Fuel Poverty

"A short film concentrating on one group of vulnerable customers - the elderly, and how fuel poverty is affecting them. "

Fuel Poverty Worsens in the UK

As the days grow short, the evenings cold and winter heads our way it is distressing to hear that fuel poverty in the UK is worsening. Fuel poverty is defined as when 10% or more of the income is spent on gas and electricity. Recent research from the Department of Energy and Climate Change indicates that due to rising prices of domestic energy, an 80% increase between 2004 and 2008, the numbers of households in the UK falling into fuel poverty rose by just over 14% to 4 million in 2007. The majority of these households are considered “vulnerable”; those that contain the elderly, children or somebody who is disabled or has a long term illness. The numbers in fuel poverty are expected to rise. In 2009 DECC expects the number to rise to 4.6 million households in England alone.

As I write this the price of oil is over $80/bbl, the highest it’s been all year. As oil price rises everything produced with oil, which is virtually everything we use or consume in daily lie, will also increase in price. So at the same time that domestic energy is costing more and driving households into fuel poverty they will also be hit by rising food prices, rising transport prices, rising prices for consumer goods. Of course this is also hitting at a time when unemployment is high and spare cash is short. The UK is in the worst recession for over 50 years.

For some this may mean doing without luxury items like cars, ipods, and new clothes. For others it may entail doing more home cooking and less eating out. But for those in vulnerable households this situation can be life threatening. This is a time for communities to look after each other. If you can help someone in a vulnerable household to seal up some drafts, or arrange to get their house insulated under the various efforts offered by the government, please do so.

Government efforts are increasing. I especially like the new program to provide hard pressed families a whole house energy makeover. You can learn more about the next steps being taken by government go to the Department of Energy and Climate Change website.

It's simple, dress sensible

Sustainability usually comes down to personal behaviour at some point, we can lobby for renewable energy, support organic agricultural policies, protest coal fired power plants but most of us are also looking at how we live our lives. Some of us make big changes, some of us make small ones. Here is one that is really easy.

Dress sensibly! When it is cold wear layers, even in the house. This will enable you to use less fossil fuel to heat your house. You can turn your thermostat down. One of my personal axioms when I go camping, climbing, walking, whatever, is that it is always easier to stay warm than to get warm, just as it is always easier to stay dry than to get dry. Stay dry and warm and you will need to expend less energy getting warm and dry. This applies in the household as well.

I'd like to suggest that you extend this to teaching others how to properly layer clothing for maximum warmth. This is particularly important for the elderly. Every year in Britain thousands of pensioners die of causes related to fuel poverty. They can't afford to heat their homes properly. Many use blankets to stay warm but when they move around are not dressed properly. Every winter my wife and I have to remind her mother to wear sensible clothing both when she goes out and in the house. She'll turn on the heat while wearing a thin cotton short sleeve t shirt and thin acrylic cardigan, no long johns, no cap. Meanwhile I'm wearing long johns, fleece pants, a long sleeve heavy cotton t shirt, a fleece overshirt and quite often a cap. Old habits die hard, if we weren't there to remind her, as we won't be next winter, she would wear what comes out of the drawer instead of searching for the right clothing for the conditions.

No matter how many times we suggest it I don't think she will ever wear a cap indoors. Like the lady in the picture she is more concerned about how her hair looks than her heating bill, thankfully she doesn't wear pearls. This not something we expect to change but we can set an example and gently encourage her to bundle up.