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Video: Fuel poverty hits Salford vulnerable hardest
by Tom Rodgers and Aran Burton
With a cold spell predicted and fuel bills skyrocketing for many in Salford, fuel poverty is set to be a major problem this winter. Fuel poverty is calculated as spending more than one-tenth of your household income on energy bills. This means an incredible 5.1 million UK households are now considered to be in fuel poverty. And it's often the most vulnerable that are hit hardest. We met single mum Sarah Whitehead, who lives in rented accomodation in Weaste. She told us that she struggles with gas and electricity bills and even fears for the wellbeing of her young son. Homes without adequate insulation are common, and families on pre-payment meters can find they are paying over the odds. Last winter Sarah paid quarterly bills of around £90 for electricity alone. But now the 'Big Six' - who supply 99% of the country's energy - have raised gas prices by up to 19 per cent and electricity up to 16 per cent this summer, adding £160 on average to annual household fuel bills. In October the government's Energy Minister, Chris Huhne, met with the 'Big Six' energy companies to try to tackle the problem of rising bills. But many have found his solution - asking consumers to 'shop around' for the best deal, or switching energy supplier - to be particularly weak. There are savings to be made. If you are on benefits you can apply for a Cold Weather Payments of £25 per week. The money will be paid "for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March", where the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius. There is also the Winter Fuel Payment available to the elderly on Pension Credit. This, however, has decreased since last year despite rapidly rising fuel costs. Finally, the Warm Homes Discount is a one-off payment of £120 towards your heating bill in 2011/12. The Big Six are legally obliged to offer you this if you are eligible. More information on all of the above can be found on the DirectGov website (see link below).
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