Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Accepted in Part
Revise fuel poverty definition to include homes meeting minimum energy efficiency standards
Recommendation
In the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy, we recommend that the Government revise the official definition of fuel poverty to reflect the fact that those living in homes compliant with the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard may still struggle to heat their homes sufficiently. (Recommendation, Paragraph 43)
Government Response Summary
The government will not revise the official definition of fuel poverty, but will place a stronger emphasis on energy affordability with a new affordability indicator, and will report annually on average required energy costs as a proportion of household income.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
18. The government has published a new Fuel Poverty Strategy for England which sets out our plan to lift up to a million households out of fuel poverty. The new fuel poverty strategy places a stronger emphasis on energy affordability with a new affordability indicator. 19. Fuel poverty is the issue of low-income households who are unable to keep warm at a reasonable cost. In England, we measure progress to the fuel poverty target using the Low-Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) metric. As LILEE is a measure of the number of homes below the fuel poverty target level this will be retained as the most effective measure of progress to 2030. 20. We recognise, however, that for too long households across England have paid the price for our nation’s energy insecurity and energy bills remain too high. Many low-income households still need short term support, and some, especially those with high energy needs, such as disabled or medically dependent members, will always require additional protections. This new strategy therefore places a stronger emphasis on energy affordability. To do this we have developed a new affordability indicator, which will monitor the impact of energy affordability for all households and low-income households. 21. We will report annually on average (median) required energy costs as a proportion of household income (after housing costs) in the fuel poverty statistics. We will also continue to report on the number of households spending more than 10 per cent of their income after housing costs on the energy they need to heat their home. 22. New Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for social housing will allow social housing providers the freedom to choose which new style EPC metrics, from the choice of fabric, smart technology and heating system, to use to comply with the standard. This will allow providers to choose the measures that will be most suitable for their properties and deliver the biggest benefits to tenants in bill savings.