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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) single pensioners, (b) older couples and (c) families with children are recognised as fuel poor; and what the figures were in each year since 1997. [77450] Mr. Wilson: I have been asked to reply. The numbers in fuel poverty in England in 1998 were published jointly by DTI and DEFRA in August 2001 and in the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy published in November 2001. They are available on the DTI website at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/consumers/fuel-- poverty/1998estimates--england.pdf It is estimated that in 1998 there were (a) 1.2 million households containing a single person over the age of 60, (b) 0.7 million households with older couples, and (c) 0.5 million households containing children in fuel poverty in England (based on income including Housing Benefit and Income Support for Mortgage Interest). When Housing Benefit and Income Support for Mortgage Interest are excluded from the definition of income, the figures become (a) 1.5 million households containing a single person over the age of 60, (b) 0.8 million households with older couples, and (c) 0.9 million households containing children in fuel poverty in England in 1998. The 2001 English House Condition Survey will update this information and the information on the extent of fuel poverty in England generally. Results from this will be published in the update of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy which should be published early in 2003. Fuel poverty is a devolved matter and therefore it is for the respective Assemblies and Parliament to report on the situation in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

77450; 391 c733W;391 c729W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Families Fuel poverty Housing improvement Heating Fuels Pensioners Low incomes Poverty Single people

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk