Residents encouraged to share their views on a draft strategy to tackle fuel poverty

The Council is asking residents and organisations across the borough to share their views on proposals to tackle fuel poverty in West Cheshire.

Fuel poverty covers the areas of energy costs and consumption, energy efficiency of properties, poverty and hardship, mental and physical health and climate change. With rising energy prices and current cost of living crisis stretching resident’s household budgets, the draft strategy aims to address these areas and support households who are classed as fuel poor.

The latest figures from 2020 estimated the fuel poverty level across the borough to be 11.9 per cent, the equivalent of 18,093 households.

The draft Fuel Poverty Strategy sets out actions to address five key themes around fuel poverty.

• Reducing debt and maximising household income
• Improving residents’ health and wellbeing by tackling cold-related illnesses 
• Improving the energy efficiency of homes
• Increasing renewable and low carbon technology in domestic properties
• Encouraging behaviour change to reduce energy use

Many residents in fuel poverty have homes with poor insultation and limited energy saving measures which mean they can be using more energy to heat their homes to a sufficient standard.

Residential property makes up a substantial proportion of west Cheshire’s greenhouse gas emissions, at 572,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. The Fuel Poverty Strategy will help reduce the emissions from homes in the borough and is a vital part of the Climate Emergency Response Plan for West Cheshire, which sets out how the borough will become carbon neutral by 2045:

Climate Emergency Response Plan for west Cheshire,

The development of the Fuel Poverty Strategy links in closely with the Council’s current work, coordinating a local response to the cost of living crisis with a range of local organisations and community groups.  This is focusing on food, fuel, financial assistance, advice and wellbeing and is closely aligned with national support available and utilising funding from the government’s national Household Support Fund.

Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency, said: “It is vital that we work with our communities and partners to raise awareness of the issues surrounding fuel poverty and help those households in the borough that are fuel poor to improve their situation.

“Fuel poverty can have a direct effect on people’s physical and mental health, and excess winter death levels can be attributed to living in a cold and damp home.

“We’re encouraging all residents, and particularly those that have or are experiencing fuel poverty, to share their views and help us deliver a plan that tackles fuel poverty and helps people live longer, healthier and happy lives.”

To view the strategy and take part in the online consultation visit: 

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/fuelpovertyconsultation.

The consultation closes on Wednesday 23 November 2022.

Hard copies and easy read versions of the consultation are available on request by emailing: 

climatechange@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 

...or by calling: 0300 123 8123. Hard copies will also be available in the borough’s libraries from early October.

Residents who are worried about the cost of living and rise of energy bills can find some useful information from the Council and other local organisations on the Council's website:  

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/costofliving 

...and energy saving tips on the Council's Climate Emergency Inspire hub: 

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/tackleclimate

There are three elements in determining whether a household is fuel poor.

• Household income
• Household energy requirements
• Fuel prices