U.k--are you in fuel poverty i.e-spending more than 10% of your income on fuel ?

Question

i mean fuel for your home

Answer 1

Let's clarify the question. In context this refers to household fuel (Gas, Electric, or if you are really unlucky, fuel oil).

The 10% figure is of course arbitrary, but has gained some popularity as a measure of "Fuel Poverty"

So let's unpick this - if you are a pensioner on £100 a week then spending  more than £10 a week on fuel is a big deal, and you are more likely to be in a difficult to heat house, and more vunerable  to the effects of cold than a Duke on £5,000 a week who spends £500 a week on heating Draughton Manor.

And why just pick on fuel? Someone who is poor will spend a higher proportion of their income on food.

The real mesaure of fuel poverty is whether you can afford to keep your house at a level of warmth requireds for good health without the costs of the fuel competing with other neccessitys like food.

All the bleating about fuel costs diverts from a major issue. Brits live in poorly designed, poorly insulated houses that are expensive to heat because they are so wasteful, and diverts from teh real problem which is that in a vastly rich country, we have a political and economic system that allows millions of people to have incomes below that required for a civilised and health life.

Answer 2

Does this include fuel for vehicles?

This economic downturn has got worse over the Summer, so fuel poverty won't really kick in for another month or two, depending on weather conditions.

Answer 3

pulease not another in-phrase. Fuel poverty!!. What next? I shudder to think. People walk around their houses in summer clothes,with their heating turned on,complaining about the cost of heating . If you are cold, put on another jumper.

Answer 4

To be honest I don't know what percentage I spend. What I do know is my last electric bill, about 10 days ago, was considerably more than my winter bills from last year when I lived in a larger property, go figure, and with the bill was notice of a further increase. I start a years medical treatment next month so will rely on benefits and 'though not the worrying kind, it does make me aware of how frightening this situation must be for those on limited pensions, it puts a different perspective on things.

Answer 5

Living in the country we use oil and electricity for heating. (There's no mains gas for miles.) We'll probably be in fuel poverty this winter as we have quite a low income (but low overall expenditure too).

However, this summer we've had more double glazing installed, plus another wood-burning stove, so hopefully we'll manage okay. The woolly jumpers will be coming out in the autumn, as soon as it gets chilly.

Answer 6

?????

Who has come up with this figure of 10%??

Why not 9% or 11% where has this come from??

No I ma not.

.

Answer 7

Poverty? Well i don't know about that, but the fuel prices in the uk at the minute are ridiculous. The thing is, people don't have a choice anymore. Most need a car to work. So needs must.

There is plenty of fuel to go about, its just we can't get our hands on it!