§ Mr. BerryTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many and what proportion of people over 60 years of age live in households that are fuel poor; [17468]
(2) what her estimate is of the number of (a) people and (b) households that are in fuel poverty; [17469]
867W(3) how many and what proportion of those disabled people who receive the middle higher rate of the disability living allowance care component or the higher rate of the mobility component live in households that are fuel poor. [17467]
§ Mr. WilsonIt is estimated that in 2000 there were 2.8 million households in England in fuel poverty (based on income including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest), or 3.9 million households (based on income excluding housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest), representing falls of 15 per cent, and 13 per cent, respectively compared to 1998. More detailed breakdowns of fuel poverty in 2000 are not available as the estimates for 2000 are broad estimates based on changes in incomes and fuel prices, rather than being based on survey data. Some more detailed breakdowns are available for 1998; however, for some particular analyses the latest information relates to 1996.
The latest available figures indicate that in England1.9 million (29 per cent.) households headed by an older couple or a single person over the age of 60 were in fuel poverty in 1998. This is based on fuel poverty being defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent, of its income (including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime. When fuel poverty is defined using income excluding housing benefit or income support for mortgage interest 2.3 million (35 percent, of) households headed by an older couple or a single person over the age of 60 were in fuel poverty in England in 1998.
The table presents estimates of the number of people and the number of households in England in fuel poverty in 1998, the latest year for which estimates of the number of people in fuel poverty are available.
Fuel poverty in England in 1998 Million People Households Fuel poverty defined using income including housing benefit and ISMI1 6.2 3.3 Fuel poverty defined using income excluding housing benefit and ISMI2 8.7 4.5 1 Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent, of its income (including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime. 2 Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent, of its income (excluding housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime. Source:
1998 Energy Follow Up Survey to the English House Condition Survey
Information on fuel poverty is not available split by the rate of disability living allowance. However, the latest available information (relating to 1996) on figures for households receiving the different components of the disability living allowance that are in fuel poverty, is available from the Libraries of the House.
An analysis of fuel poverty in England in 1998 was published in August 2001 by DTI and DEFRA, and is available at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/fuelpoverty/index.htm.
868WFuel 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.