Report warns of fuel poverty threat

The Government has been urged not to make any adjustments in the budget which would make it harder for people to keep their homes warm.

An annual report on fuel poverty published today said difficulties in keeping homes warm were a "major concern during the current economic downturn".

Fuel poverty is defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on energy in order to maintain an acceptable level of heat throughout their home.

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) monitors the extent of fuel poverty and said there had been "considerable" improvement in energy efficiency in the residential sector this year "but progress could be faster and increasingly concentrated on reaching people who are fuel poor".

The most recent figure for fuel poverty in the Republic of Ireland uses an EU measure and shows a fuel poverty rate approaching 10 per cent of households in 2007.

IPH chief executive Dr Jane Wilde said the economic downturn presented "a formidable challenge to reducing fuel poverty on the island, creating pressure for the development of new and innovative approaches".

The report found that there had been unprecedented levels of policy activity on fuel poverty this year. A cold spell in early 2009 caused governments in the Republic and Northern Ireland to introduce additional fuel subsidies and energy saving initiatives.

The report co-author Prof Christine Liddell, University of Ulster, said a number of steps could help reduce the likelihood of fuel poverty "such as improving the energy efficiency of homes and fitting smart metering and better commitment to standards in rental accommodation."