The Isle of Wight fuel poverty figure is set to jump from its pre-COVID figure of around 9% of households to 17.6%, local charity The Footprint Trust is warning.
Figures released by End Fuel Poverty Coalition reveal that the Isle of Wight will continue to have some of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the South East, which is only around 8.6% on average.
The Footprint Trust estimates that the current number of fuel poor homes is around 8,000, although official figures state 6,000. Looking forward some 11,000 households will be in economic hardship.
A culmination of various factors including rising inflation, massive increases in the cost of domestic fuel, loss of jobs and cutting of benefits are all playing a part in putting Isle of Wight households into poverty.
Speaking for The Footprint Trust charity, Ray Harrington-Vail has said:
“Many Island households will be over £1,000 per year worse off, which means they will make choices between paying rent or buying food. Others will choose not to pay their Council Tax and instead keep their children warm. In effect Councils throughout England could experience an unofficial ‘Tax strike’ – they would then be faced with the possibility of prosecuting poor parents and pensioners and seeing them sent to prison.
“The government has to act with real practical policies to help those in fuel poverty, not gimmicks such as the £200 loan. The Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel payments have to be increased to offset these massive rises.
“Ignoring or playing down poverty on the Island is not an acceptable policy. Our political leaders need to tell the government to act to prevent this energy crisis from harming clinically vulnerable people, lack of action will lead to hospitalisation due to the effect of being in a cold home. It is not the job of the NHS to act as a hostel for the fuel poor.”
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The Footprint Trust assisted over 1,400 fuel poor Island households in the last year, providing tailored guidance and practical measures through grants and other support. Saving most homes around £200 on their utility bills. To get support or help with your energy queries please contact the Trust by email [email protected] or by phone 01983 822282.
Government has printed billions of pounds over covid, not a surprise there is inflation
Correct joe – inflation was appearing before the ukraine mess. Governments around the world have printed phenomenal amounts of fresh currency and dumped it into society, as well as QE for the stock markets from 2008 onwards.
the effect significantly more currency chasing the same amount of goods and services – result is inflation, which allows the governments to inflate away their debts – this type of inflation is known as cost push inflation – it is by design.
Choices between rent and paying food….?? Er, okay, yes it’s a real and grim thing this inflation stuff. But the ‘food on the table’ is a bit of a cliche when many people don’t even eat from a table these days. And as for the choice between food and rent – well there’s other choices like the broadband package, Sky package, a SIM deal more than £8.00 per month, smoking and drinking. It’s bad but lets remember there are many things now that are actually LUXURIES that can be cut before the landlord has to lose his mortgage money.
It’s luxuries that we work hard for and to get….we shouldn’t b in this situation in to days day and age…. I’ve worked since leaving school and now I have to watch every penny it’s disgusting
If a landlord can’t afford their mortgage they should get a job
The internet isn’t a luxury.
Not when all schoolchildren do their homework etc from a school hub,parents are expected to have internet!
Did it not occur to you that people fall on hard time after taking out things like Sky packages and mobile contracts?
Obviously not.
Can happen to absolutely anyone. Go into work, “sorry, we’re letting you go”. Even you.
The biggest problem to solve this mess, is stop somehow population from growing. We are as a planet over populated with human DNA round every corner. The human genome is wearing out anyway, take a look at the lack of communication, especially when dealing with businesses on the phone. No one can be bothered anymore, to take responsibility, or tell us simply what is going on? Whenever something goes wrong, the blame gets passed over to someone else. Who makes these bloody rules, for inflation to go up? Mainly I guess it is to pay back for COVID, which the whole planet did not ask for in the first place.