Rise in fuel poverty set to impact 8.4 million in UK, charity says after finding 'harrowing' 45% in Northern Ireland already in dire straits

A household is considered to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend 10% or more of its income on energy in order to stay warm in the winter.

The charity National Energy Action say that when government support ceases in April, the number of people in this category across the UK will rise to 8.4 million – including 1.8 million carers, 5.9 million low income and financially vulnerable households, 3.6 million people with a disability and 1.6 million households in homes without a gas supply.

Policy and Campaigns Officer for Northern Ireland, Jamie Miller, told the News Letter: “Earlier this year we carried out a Northern Ireland wide representative survey of households to hear first-hand how the energy crisis has impacted them. The results of this survey were harrowing. We found that more than 45% of households in NI were already living in fuel poverty and the situation only looks likely to get worse. 80% of respondents told us they were rationing their energy use by cutting down on their central heating – meaning more time in a cold home.

“Most worryingly of all, more than 1-in-10 households told us that they have had to forego meals to meet the rising energy costs.”

Mr Miller added: “Urgent action is needed to ensure that Northern Ireland households are supported during what could be a very difficult winter.”