4.7 million homes in England at risk of severe energy hardship

Over 6,500 English neighbourhoods face severe financial strain as energy prices spike, Friends of the Earth warns. 

New research from the charity shows more than 6,500 neighbourhoods, home to 4.7 million households, are at risk of financial hardship as energy bills surge following the US-Israel conflict over Iran.

The environmental justice organisation mapped ‘energy crisis hotspots’ where household income is below the national average and energy use is high. The latter is said to be caused by poorly insulated homes. 

Birmingham tops the list of local authority areas with the highest number of hotspots, followed by Bradford, Enfield, Brent and Ealing. 

Recent conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy infrastructure have more than doubled wholesale gas prices since February. Independent energy experts Cornwall Insight predict the typical annual household bill will rise by £288 to £1,929 from July. 

In energy crisis hotspots, Friends of the Earth estimates bills will climb even higher, to an average of £2,170 a year, £241 above the national typical rate.

Rural households reliant on heating oil face even greater strain, with some in Torridge, South Norfolk, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, and North Norfolk expected to pay £1,000 more than the average household. 

With local elections taking place next month, Friends of the Earth is using all political parties to commit to measures to protect vulnerable households and reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuels. 

Recommendations include accelerating homegrown renewables such as wind and solar, targeted insulation programmes for low-income households, introducing a social tariff for the most at-risk and moving hidden charges into general taxation. 

The not-for-profit is also calling for a strengthened windfall tax on oil and gas companies to fund support for households in need.

Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said: ‘Once again, international conflict is exposing the UK’s continuing reliance on fossil fuels and vulnerability to volatile global gas markets.

‘Our analysis shows how spiralling energy costs are set to hit home. Millions of ordinary people, who are already struggling to heat their homes and feed their families, will face extortionate energy bills.’

‘Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry is set to reap record profits as instability spreads across the Gulf states, lives are lost and families are torn apart,’ Reham continued. ‘Ending our reliance on fossil fuels for good by ramping up investment in homegrown renewables, insulating the UK’s heat-leaking homes and supporting those most at risk with cheaper energy is the only way to bring down our bills for good.

‘It’s time to put people and our planet before the interests of the oil and gas giants fuelling global instability and the climate crisis.’

Image: Shavr IK/UnSplash 

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