UK fuel poverty: a cool summer affects results

With these figures added to those gathered in previous quarters, we can see more clearly how the UK’s fuel poverty levels have changed over a year. From September 2023 to the end of August 2024, an average of 4.43% of social homes were in fuel poverty in the UK, more than a quarter fewer than during the same time frame in 2022-23, when an average of 5.98% of homes failed to hit the 18°C threshold over a seven-day period.

It means that, while nearly one in 17 households were in fuel poverty on average on any given day in 2022-23, fewer than one in 23 households were in the same position during the same period in 2023-24.

“This trend is perhaps not surprising given the sharp falls in the energy price cap ahead of October 2023, along with a slightly milder winter,” Mr Morris says. “However it is not all good news, as fuel poverty levels are still higher than two winters previously, partly as a result of large rises in the levels of consumer energy debt that exist in the UK as a result of prolonged high energy prices. Ofgem data shows that total consumer debt and arrears has jumped to £3.3bn – almost double levels seen prior to the first big price rise in April 2022.”

Across the regions

The UK-wide reduction in fuel poverty across the 12 months to the end of August 2024 is matched in Scotland, where an average of 4.65% of social homes were fuel-poor, compared with 6.16% in 2022-23.

In Wales, where more homes have been assessed as fuel-poor according to Switchee’s methodology, the drop-off is more pronounced. From September 2023 to August 2024, 5.76% of homes in the sector failed to reach 18°C on average in any seven-day period, but in the equivalent period the previous year, this figure reached 9.22%. Wales’ rate of fuel poverty for the three months to September was slightly below the national figure, coming in at an average of 0.29%. Scotland’s rate, meanwhile, was significantly higher at 0.51%.

Looking at regions in England, the figures for the summer months all show lower levels of fuel poverty, as to be expected given the warmer weather. In trying to establish a picture of trends in fuel poverty, however, it is more instructive to again look at the 12-month period, for which comparative data is now available.

The highest rates of fuel poverty over the year in England occurred in the North East (5.74%), the South West (5.7%) and the West Midlands (5.66%). However, all of these showed significant improvement on the previous 12 months. The West Midlands saw the greatest drop in homes in fuel poverty, with a 30% decrease, while the decrease in the South West was 27%.

In Greater London, only 2.96% of social homes were in fuel poverty over any seven days, making it the only region to fall below the 3% mark.

As more data emerges from Switchee, we hope to get a clearer picture of the national and regional trends.

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