Fuel Poverty - Framework for Action

Bradford Council has a strong track record of working to improve the energy efficiency of our homes across the Bradford District - Over recent years the Council and its partners have installed some 50,000 measures from loft insulation to new boilers. However there are still 1 in 8 households in fuel poverty in our District.

The attached document has been produced by Bradford Council to address fuel poverty. The Fuel Poverty - Framework for Action was approved by the Council's Executive in September 2015. National Energy Action facilitated the development of this document working with the Council's Fuel Poverty Working group on behalf of Bradford's Warm Homes Healthy People partnership.

What is fuel poverty?     

The term ‘fuel poverty’ describes the interaction between low income, poor access to fuel company services, poorly insulated housing and inefficient heating systems. While fuel poverty and poverty in general are closely related, there is a clear distinction. Whilst most people on low incomes are likely to face difficulty in paying their fuel bills, ‘fuel poverty’ describes the particular hardship many people on low incomes face because they live in ‘hard to heat’ housing or run expensive, inefficient heating systems or other appliances for example fridges, cookers, washing machines, lighting.

Tackling fuel poverty

Action to reduce fuel poverty will be delivered by a network of public, voluntary and private sector partners. Behind the strategic framework sits a range of practical activities grouped under the headings of

• leading, funding and delivering change 
• capacity building, connecting and supporting 
• technical enablers 

To enable the Fuel Poverty Vision - To be Masters of Our Own Energy Futures.... Individually, Collectively, and as a District.