MORE than 7,000 families in private sector homes in Warrington are living in “fuel poverty” it is believed – and it will take more than 200 years to deal with the problem.
This is the conclusion of a report to the borough council’s environment and housing overview and scrutiny committee 
by Andy Farrall, the borough council’s environment director (pictured).
A household is in fuel poverty if it has to spend more than 10 per cent of its income on heating the home to an adequate level.
The main causes of cold homes are poor insulation or inefficient heating systems, low income, fuel prices and under-occupation.
Climate change forecasts indicate that Warrington can expect more flooding, more unpredictable or violent weather, average temperature increase of two per cent by 2050, along with drier summers and wetter winters.
Fuel poverty, poor housing and providing affordable warmth are associated problems.
An average house emits 11 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year which means in Warrington, housing is responsible for emitting 550,000 tonnes a year.
One way of improving the situation is to bring houses up to the “decent homes standard.”
The council’s housing stock was brought up to this standard in 2008, the report claims, and the transfer of property to the Golden Gates Housing Trust should ensure it is maintained to this standard in future.
But 24,000 private sector houses – 31.4 per cent – do not meet the decent homes standard – mainly due to heating problems.
The borough council has implemented a wide range of initiatives to education households, provide advice and financial assistance to tackle energy efficiency and fuel poverty.
Last year, 1,434 households were given energy efficiency advice and 344 were provided with grants for loft and cavity wall insulation until the programme had to be stopped to prevent an overspend.
It is estimated the cost of bringing private sector homes up to the decent homes standard would be £80.2 million – and that with the current level of resources available it would take more than 200 years.
200 years to deal with fuel poverty
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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How can there be such a thing as overspend on insulation grants, when we rapidly approach the “peak oil” scenario. anything invested in insulation now will reduce our effects on the planet, ensure families do not suffer fuel poverty and reduce immediate requirements for fuel allowing it to be used elsewhere. GAS WILL RUN OUT however good insulation will not, if everyone got a standard guaranteed level of insulation we all benefit in that the GAS will last longer because we will use less.
There should be grants for not just wall insulation, loft insulation and the so called boiler grant scheme (although you can get the same boiler fitted by companies outside the grant schemes cheaper than those with even with the grant deduction so realy its just money for the companies in the gang rather than savings for the public). there should be free double glazing, free solar panels and wind turbines…we will all benefit if just half of us got them.