As energy prices continue to rise, more and more families in England are finding themselves in situations where the cost of heating their homes is extremely challenging. This blog delves into the regions where the impact is most severe, highlighting the top 10 worst areas for fuel poverty in England. These are the places where the combination of low incomes, high energy costs, and poorly insulated homes make it almost impossible to pay energy bills.
What Is Fuel Poverty?
Fuel poverty is unfortunately all-too-common across the UK. Approximately 3 million suffer across the country, making it one of the largest issues facing homes across the UK. Many have tipped into it following the energy crisis, unable to keep up with the rising prices.
It generally refers to people who have to spend 10% of their income on energy. Extreme fuel poverty is a term used to refer to people who spend 20% or more of their income on their energy, often impacting households already on the lowest incomes in the UK.
People in fuel poverty are far more likely to use a pre-payment meter and are more likely to be elderly. These vulnerable groups are even more at risk, as living in a cold home worsens a range of physical and mental health conditions.
How We Collected Our Data
We used government-collected data and broke it down into the proportional percentage, to get a fair indication of the level, taking account of area population. The full set of data collected by the government can be found here.
The Top 10 Worst Areas For Fuel Poverty In England
10 – Newcastle-under-Lyme / East Staffordshire
In 10th place is Newcastle-under-Lyme and East Staffordshire, both with 19.5% of their populations categorised as fuel poor . This amounts to approximately 7887 households in Newcastle-under-Lyme. In East Staffordshire, over 30% of properties are rated E or below for energy efficiency, one of the lowest rankings.
9 – Staffordshire Moorlands / Blackpool
Staffordshire Moorlands and Blackpool come joint 9th place on our list, with 19.7% of their populations in fuel poverty. Blackpool South is one of the worst affected areas, with 38%, or over 15,000 households in fuel poverty.
8 – Leicester / Bradford
8th place on our list is Leicester sand Bradford, with a rate of 19.8%. Leicester City Council says there is a “growing need for housing to meet the needs of an ageing population”.
In Bradford, one in five households are fuel poor and experiencing food poverty. Vulnerable groups such as the elderly are not the only groups struggling, with one third of families in the area experiencing poverty.
7 – Kingston upon Hull
20.4% of the population in Kingston upon Hull are fuel poor, putting the area in 7th place. This is equivalent to approximately 9090 households.
6 – Walsall
Walsall is in 6th place, with a 21% of its population classed as fuel poor. A report produced by Walsall Council highlighted the need to tackle thew issues of:
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- fuel poverty
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- excess winter deaths
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- residential carbon emissions
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- poor physical and mental health resulting from cold and damp homes
5 – Sandwell
22% of Sandwell’s population is in fuel poverty, meaning it reaches the top 5 in our list. This equates to approximately 29,683 households. Reports from winter 2023 reveal that over half of houses in Sandwell have an EPC rating of D or lower, meaning they are some of the poorest for energy efficiency. This helps explain why the area is in the top 5.
4 – Coventry
Coventry is in the top 4 areas, 22.2% of households struggling to pay their energy bills. Research reveals that approximately 64,600 residents have no cash left after housing, fuel and food costs.
3 – Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton reaches the top 3 in our list, with 23% of households struggling. This equates to more than one in five people struggling to pay their energy bills. In 2022, news reports revealed that some pensioners in the area were riding buses just to try and stay warm.
2 – Birmingham
Birmingham has the second highest rate for fuel poverty in the UK, with 24% of households in fuel poverty. Moreover, nearly 10,000 homes in Birmingham have no central heating – something which is classed as one of the key indicators of poverty.
1 – Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent has been referred to as ‘England’s fuel poverty capital’, with 24.7% of its population in fuel poverty. Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Cabinet hopes to tackle this with their 2023-2028 Fuel Poverty Strategy, which lays out the work the Council intends to do to tackle this problem locally.
Free Support For People In Fuel Poverty
You may still be struggling with your energy bills, even if where you live isn’t on the list. That’s because, unfortunately, fuel poverty can impact anyone. Luckily, there is support available if you are suffering.
The government has several initiatives to help households struggling with their energy bills. Initiatives like the ECO4 scheme can save you hundreds per year by making your home more energy efficient. It’s worth checking if you qualify for these grants to help manage your energy costs.
Plus, it’ll only take you 30 seconds to check if you’re eligible!
