Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Fuel Poverty: Winter 2023-24

Tuesday 16 April 2024 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Fuel poverty in England was estimated at 13.5% in 1996, rising to 22% by 2010 and falling back to 13% in 2023.
  • The Government claims to have helped 350,000 households avoid fuel poverty during the energy peak in 2022.
  • The Minister acknowledged the disparity in electricity standing charges between the north-east and other regions, noting the higher rates in the north-east.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ian Lavery Lab Blyth and Ashington
Housing Energy
Context

Estimates of households in fuel poverty are requested.

Question

What estimate she has made of the number of households that were in fuel poverty in winter 2023-24.

Answer from Amanda Solloway

As previously stated, fuel poverty is devolved. Statistics for England estimate that there were 3.17 million households in fuel poverty in 2023, over 1.5 million fewer than in 2010.

Answered
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Q2 Mary Glindon Lab Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
Housing Energy
Context

The questioner highlights a significant increase in fuel poverty due to the new price cap and criticizes the government's household upgrading scheme for its poor performance.

Question

April's new price cap will see 6 million households across the UK in fuel poverty and National Energy Action estimates this figure will include 8,800 households in North Tyneside alone. The Government promised their household upgrading scheme would help 100,000 households but in nine months it has helped fewer than 5,000 and only 15 in my constituency. Can the Minister account for the abysmal failure of the flagship policy?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

I stand by the Government's record of support on fuel poverty: we have helped with affordability and with insulation and energy efficiency. We have given unprecedented support to 350,000 households, who were kept out of fuel poverty at the energy peak in 2022.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The number of households helped by the scheme and its failure to meet targets

How: Standing Charges, Responses Gathered

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Q3 Ian Lavery Lab Blyth and Ashington
Energy Environment
Context

The questioner highlights discrepancies in electricity standing charges between the north-east and other regions, questioning why those in the north-east are paying more.

Question

Electricity standing charges for people in the north-east are 71.2p per day while those in the south pay 40.79p per day. Can the Minister explain why the people in the north-east, the area experiencing the highest levels of fuel poverty in the country, are paying 75% more than those in other regions simply for the privilege of being connected to the grid?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

The hon. Gentleman makes a reasonable point on standing charges, which is one reason why we have urged Ofgem to gather information on them. We have had over 30,000 responses and will be looking at this in due course.

Not addressed: The explanation for the discrepancy in electricity standing charges

How: Gathering Information, Looking At It In Due Course

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Q4 Dominic Raab Con
Energy Environment
Context

The questioner references historical data to argue that the Conservative party has delivered better results on fuel poverty compared to Labour.

Question

In the Office for National Statistics and House of Commons data, fuel poverty in England was 13.5% back in 1996. It rose to 22% by 2010 and, as has already been mentioned, it fell back to 13% in 2023. Does the Minister agree that that shows that Conservatives deliver energy policy with environmental and economic good sense and have done a lot better than the last Labour Government?

Answer from Amanda Solloway

As I said, we are incredibly proud of our record on heading towards net zero and ensuring energy security so that never to have to go through the cost of living crisis that we have recently gone through.

How: Pride In Policy Record, Energy Security

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