Tackling Fuel Poverty in London
Schiano-Phan, R., Georgiadou, M., Russo, F., Laurel, R., Anselmo, A. and Naccarato, M. 2023. Tackling Fuel Poverty in London. London University of Westminster. https://doi.org/10.34737/w69yw
Schiano-Phan, R., Georgiadou, M., Russo, F., Laurel, R., Anselmo, A. and Naccarato, M. 2023. Tackling Fuel Poverty in London. London University of Westminster. https://doi.org/10.34737/w69yw
Title | Tackling Fuel Poverty in London |
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Authors | Schiano-Phan, R., Georgiadou, M., Russo, F., Laurel, R., Anselmo, A. and Naccarato, M. |
Type | Project report |
Abstract | The challenge of economic and health inequalities caused by fuel poverty are rooted in the rise in fuel costs which have strong implications affecting the cost of living. Fuel costs and rising inflation due to economic and political reasons threaten individuals and families who are already struggling financially, putting them in/at risk of fuel poverty. The UK is one of the first countries to define the challenge of households living in fuel poverty prompting necessary actions, policies and interventions. This study presents the results of an empirical investigation following direct enquires to the Greater London Authority (GLA) and all of London boroughs via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on retrofit interventions, including an overview of financial incentives and planning assessments with an aim to increase the number of home energy upgrades since April 2021. London adopted its own action plan in 2018 to renew its focus and alleviate more than 350,000 households in fuel poverty (GLA, 2018). The assessment and indicator for fuel poverty has changed over time, from the Low Income High Cost (LIHC) to Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator in 2021. However, identifying households in fuel poverty remains challenging and some indicators are somewhat disconnected from what is happening on the ground. The findings suggest that there is a need to establish tools and methodologies that are connected to the national and local context. Fuel poverty is affecting people’s health and well-being, particularly those already facing socio-economic and health inequalities. After the COVID pandemic, a political awareness of fuel poverty is found in the Mayoral manifesto, however the Fuel Poverty Action Plan does not have binding targets and is not regularly updated. Current Fuel Poverty Partnership Tasks are focusing on awareness and communication or the urgent support to households already affected, but not in tackling the root causes of fuel poverty in upgrading fuel poor homes. |
Keywords | Fuel Poverty, Energy Retrofit, Homes, Net Zero Carbon |
Year | 2023 |
Publisher | University of Westminster |
Place of publication | London |
Publication dates | |
Published | 31 Jul 2023 |
Project | 100k Fuel Poor Homes Upgrade Review |
Funder | Internal research group report |
File | License CC BY 4.0 File Access Level Open (open metadata and files) |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.34737/w69yw |