Insulation, insulation, insulation

Disability groups are angry about government inaction on fuel poverty, says Katharine Quarmby

Insulate: that’s the government’s message to disabled people as it announced its plans to challenge fuel poverty.

Unveiling a £1bn Home Energy Saving Programme, the government urged households to apply for funding to make their homes more energy efficient.

The new money includes an extra £74m for the Warm Front scheme to improve insulation and central heating, £560m directly into the existing insulation programme and £350m into a new energy-saving programme paid for by the energy companies.

Winter fuel payments for pensioners were increased in the last budget from £200 to £250 per annum, while those for over-80s increased from £300 to £400. Earlier this year, the government admitted that there were nearly 100,000 households containing a disabled person under 60 in fuel poverty – providing the strongest argument yet that the payments should be extended to those receiving the middle and higher rates of disability living allowance (DLA) (see Disability Now April, Campaigns). The figures were released by energy minister Malcolm Wicks, who admitted at the time that the government did not know how many of these disabled people claimed higher rates of DLA.

Disabled people’s groups are disappointed by the lack of progress. Sue Bott, director of the National Centre for Independent Living (NCIL), said: “NCIL is concerned about the rising level of fuel bills because many disabled people need additional heating for reasons of impairment and disabled people are statistically more likely to be in poverty than other sections of society.”

Julie Newman, the acting chair of the United Kingdom’s Disabled People’s Council, said: “There is a lack of appreciation for those on the higher level of DLA who may need increased heating and water.”

Paul Flynn MP said that there seemed to be “an awful lot of people missing out and it’s going to be an awful problem...The money is not well targeted,” although he added that any extra cash should be directed towards poorer disabled people.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman confirmed that there were no plans to extend winter fuel payments to disabled people.

She said: “We recognise that fuel costs have been rising quickly and this is something the government is concerned about.

“A range of support for disabled people is already available through disability benefits in recognition of the extra living costs they may face, including heating.”

She added: “Energy companies, too, offer help for their most vulnerable customers. Disabled people could potentially save money by contacting their energy supplier to see if they qualify for a reduced tariff or extra help making their home energy-efficient.”

Gas bills have risen by an average of over one-third this year and electricity by one fifth.