I-SEE Bath, Brenda Boardman Emeritus Fellow ECI University of Oxford

Symptoms Debt: –Elderly dont get into debt: know they can never repay –Families will get into debt, to keep babies/ children warm Disconnections – strongly driven by utility policy. Always an alternative

GB disconnections

Excess winter deaths - England Year Excess deaths , , , , , , , , , , ,000

Vulnerable Misleading descriptor 71% of 2008 English households contained someone who is: –elderly –Young (<16) –disabled or –long-term sick

Definition A household is in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain a satisfactory heating regime and all other energy services 10% = UK definition Twice the median (as a proportion of expenditure) = possible EU definition

Affordable warmth 10% of income for all energy services Energy efficiency of the dwelling 24 hour mean internal temperature of 18°C and all other energy services }{

Fuel poverty, England $80/b $50/b $20/b Today?

Hills review - debate

Household expenditure on fuel UK 2007

Income + housing Low incomeHigh income Energy inefficient housing Energy efficient housing

Heating costs: low-income, pensioner couple Present £6.65 For adequate warmth a) existing poorly insulated home poor heating system £ £9.50 efficient heating system£ £3.70 b) well insulated home efficient heating system £ £1.00

Housing energy standards: fuel poverty and climate change

Transforming housing

Fuel poor pensioners England 2008 Fuel poor households Pensioner households 24% in fuel poverty 49%

Identification Simple method, for the doorstep, a passport, eg –receipt of a state benefit / pension Sophisticated method of monitoring Political decisions first, eg –priority for families or pensioners? –equivalisation –role of rent

Fuel prices and cost of government policy – 2008/9

Real problem: fuel prices World fuel prices rising, consistently Government policy paid through utility bills Liberalised market worsens fuel poverty utilities focus price reductions on active, profitable market = rich Poor left paying highest prices = Stronger regulation, more government concern for fuel poverty and new tariffs

Carbon emission factors

SAP and non-SAP Energy (kWh) £Carbon SAP: space and water heating, fixed lighting 85%58%68% Non-SAP: other lights, all appliances 15%42%32%

Synergies: fuel poverty and climate change In UK: Poorest people concentrated in worst housing Upgrade to super energy-efficient, low- carbon housing Fuel poverty = SAP 1,200,000 pa Climate change = SAP 680,000 pa

Low-carbon zones One per local authority Where fuel poor concentrated Ensure every home out of fuel poverty by 2013, SAP 81 Do street-by-street CHP + waste / community schemes

Who pays? Substantial costs At no capital cost to the poor Cannot identify the fuel poor No need to subsidise the rich Through fuel prices? Through income tax? Release the equity in the building?

Chesshire Lehmann Fund Thank you