Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households in fuel poverty that are eligible for assistance under the affordable warmth component of the Energy Company Obligation.

As set out in the ECO Assessment of Impacts, published in March 2014, the number of households that meet the eligibility criteria for Affordable Warmth is estimated to be 3.4m. There is a strong correlation between the characteristics of fuel poor households (under all of the definitions of fuel poverty currently used in Great Britain) and the eligibility criteria for support help under ECO Affordable Warmth.

By the end of April 2014, Affordable Warmth had delivered over 334,000 heating and energy efficiency measures to low-income and vulnerable households. This has provided valuable support to many households who are at risk of being in fuel poverty, including the elderly, disabled and low income families.