Millions of UK pensioners 'live in fuel poverty'

from 24 Dash

Publisher: Jon Land

One in five of Britain's over-60s - more than two million people - are spending over a 10th of their income on fuel, according to a survey released today.

Energy comparison website uSwitch, which carried out the research for BBC Radio 4's Money Box, said that the findings suggested the Government was at risk of missing its target of taking all pensioners out of fuel poverty by 2010.

The group's consumer policy director, Ann Robinson, called for immediate action to end what she described as a "national disgrace".

Soaring fuel prices in recent years have knocked the Government off course for the target which it set in 2001, reversing some of the progress made by policies to insulate homes and provide the over-60s with a Winter Fuel Payment.

According to today's survey, there are now one million more pensioners than in 2004 living in fuel poverty - officially defined as spending 10% or more of income on heating.

And Ms Robinson suggested that, even after price cuts promised by energy companies, a million will remain below the fuel poverty line.

In an interview broadcast on Radio 4's Today this morning, she said: "The Government will not meet its target for taking vulnerable people out of fuel poverty by 2010.

"Even with the impending price cuts we are seeing, there are still going to be well over a million left in fuel poverty.

"That is why we need action now to put an end to this national disgrace."