NHS fuel poverty omission is ‘missed opportunity’

The NHS’ failure to address fuel poverty in its winter planning guidance has been labelled a “missed opportunity” by the chair of the Committee on Fuel Poverty (CFP).

Former Labour minister Caroline Flint, who also chairs an NHS Trust, was speaking before members of the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero committee.

During the hearing committee chair Angus MacNeil spoke about how some people with severe health issues, such as motor neurone disease or who are on kidney dialysis machines, have bigger energy needs than many and have therefore been very badly impacted by the crisis. He asked Flint if the CFP had heard much from these groups.

In response she confirmed the committee had and added: “As you quite rightly say, apart from keeping warm, it is the equipment they have in their homes, which also incurs extra costs. It is a real worry. I am very much involved in the NHS. I chair an NHS trust and it is clearly an issue that I think the wider system of health could look at.

“In our annual report, under the chapter of ‘shared mission’, we think there is more of a role for the NHS working through the ICBs, the integrated care boards, to play a role. We were disappointed last year that the winter planning guidance did not include addressing fuel poverty, and I understand it is not in it this year. I think that is a missed opportunity.”

The CFP chair also referenced the recent Warm Homes Prescription trial run by Energy Systems Catapult.

During the trial, which was run with energy advice agencies and NHS bodies in various parts of the UK, 823 households containing people who live in low-income neighbourhoods and suffer from health conditions that are made worse by the cold were provided with credits on their energy bill accounts that would enable them to heat their homes to a warm temperature.

Around four out of five recipients reported that they had heated their homes to a higher temperature than in the previous winter. This included 51% who increased their home temperature by 2 degrees or more.

Flint was additionally asked about energy bill support for consumers and said she believed there was a need to help some of the most vulnerable.

She said: “We think that some sort of scheme, which will recognise in a more targeted way than last year, for some of the people we have already mentioned, will be essential in the year going forward.

“That includes recognising the point you made about debt and how difficult it is, because the debt has compounded from last year and they are facing debt again this year.”

Providing vulnerable consumers with additional support this winter and beyond is a core element of Utility Week’s Action on Bills campaign.

The key asks of government are:

• A clear plan for targeted support on energy bills for vulnerable customers to be put out to consultation before the summer recess with a target of putting this into action by April 2024
• A revised Energy Bills Support Scheme to be brought in for next winter while a more targeted approach is being designed
• Defra to support social tariffs in the water sector through a clear funding commitment and a definitive stance on whether there should be a single social tariff

This topic will be explored in more detail at Utility Week’s Consumer Vulnerability and Debt conference in Birmingham this November. For more information and to book your place, click here.