Letter

More can be done on energy efficiency

Dear healthmatters — The government’s draft fuel poverty strategy is welcome, but has a number of shortcomings. NEA, the national energy action charity, believes some changes must be made to ensure that fuel poverty will be eradicated in the UK.

Without these changes, the government cannot meet its commitment to end fuel poverty by 2010 or the requirements set out in its own Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act.

The strategy as it stands identifies no new initiatives or additional resources; makes no commitment to make fuel poverty a priority in health, housing or community renewal initiatives; and offers no assurance that households receiving assistance will be lifted out of fuel poverty.

NEA is calling for:

• a definition of fuel poverty that excludes housing costs from the measure of income;
• locally based approaches to dealing with fuel poverty, with local government leading on strategy delivery;
• a single energy efficiency scheme for England extended to all households receiving means-tested benefits and similar schemes in other countries of the UK;
• an assessment of the economic impact of the energy efficiency improvement programmes.

NEA also makes recommendations on the provision of energy advice to low-income householders; incorporating energy education in the national curriculum; establishing fuel poverty indicators; assisting hard-to-heat properties; and reducing fuel poverty in the private rented sector.

Visit www.nea.org.uk for further information.