News Story
Fuel poverty fears in Ealing as Mayor's scheme stalls
Mayor Boris Johnson has been criticised by London Assembly member Murad Qureshi for failing to deliver on his flagship policy to reduce fuel bills in Ealing. As local residents face huge energy price hikes this winter, new figures reveal that the Mayor's promise to insulate 200,000 home across London has flopped.
There are around 122,000 homes in Ealing. But to date only 210 have been treated under the Mayor's 'RE:NEW' scheme, aimed at making homes more fuel efficient.1
London households that have been treated saved over £150 a year from their fuel bills.2
The Mayor said he would "provide a free carbon makeover to at least 200,000 homes by 2012" to help alleviate fuel poverty.3
He said recently: "This will save millions off fuel bills and fundamentally improve quality of life for Londoners. RE:NEW is simple, safe and free to access, you'd be crazy not to go for it."4
Under the scheme, assessors visit households in specific neighbourhoods to give energy and water saving advice. Homes can be given a green 'makeover' for free or at a subsidised rate. But across London only 16,000 homes have been treated since the scheme was launched.
At the current rate it will take 23 years to 'green' 200,000 homes as promised. Even then this would be just a fraction of the 3.4 million homes in the capital.
London-wide Assembly member Murad Qureshi said:
"London has some of the worst insulated homes in the country and disgraceful levels of fuel poverty. This is a great scheme and it should be helping households across London to reduce their bills.
"It's a scandal that so many households in Ealing are still waiting. Boris’ failure to deliver on one of his flagship policies is outrageous. Energy prices are going through the roof and the Mayor should be doing all he can to ease the pain this winter."
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Notes
Fuel poverty
1. Data for number of homes treated can be found here
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http://www.london.gov.uk/media/press_releases_mayoral/mayor-helps-londoners-beat-energy-price-hikeshttp://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/RENEW-Demonstration-project-summary-report-Mar2011.pdf www.insidehousing.co.uk/first-word/6509663.article
Across England the number of households in fuel poverty has risen steadily since 2003. A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it has to spend more than 10 per cent of its income to keep the home adequately heated.
A 2009 study for the Mayor of London found that one in four London households (760,000 homes) are living in fuel poverty.
Household income is by far the biggest factor in determining fuel poverty. London households in the lowest income bracket are over 117 times more likely to be fuel poor.
