The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has released new statistics which show 2.35 million English households lived in fuel poverty  in 2013.

This was a slight improvement in fuel poverty levels in England, down from 2.36 million in 2012

The annual report from 2013 also shows a combination of rising incomes and energy efficiency improvements in low income households has seen a decrease in the fuel poverty gap from £909 million in 2012 to £877 million in 2013, with an overall reduction of £32 million.

Under the Low Income High Costs definition, a household is considered to be fuel poor if:

• they have required fuel costs that are above average (the national median level)
• were they to spend that amount, they would be left with a residual income below the official poverty line.

Unlike the previous indicator measuring fuel poverty (the 10% indicator), the Low Income High Costs definition is a relative measure as it compares households to the national median bill and income – thereby ensuring the contemporary trends are reflected in both these measures.

The key findings from the report were:

• In 2013, the number of households in fuel poverty in England was estimated at 2.35 million, representing approximately 10.4% of all English households. This is broadly unchanged from 2.36 million households in 2012 (a change of around 0.5%).
• The aggregate fuel poverty gap fell by four% in real terms, from £909 million in 2012 to £877 million in 2013, and the average fuel poverty gap also reduced in real terms over this period, from £385 to £374.
• Rising incomes and improvements in energy efficiency amongst fuel poor households, and a smaller increase in fuel bills than experienced in the population as a whole has meant there has been a decrease in the fuel poverty aggregate and average gap.
• In 2013, five% of fuel poor households were living in a property with an energy efficiency rating of band C or above, compared to two% in 2010. In addition, there was an increase in the proportion of households in band D and a reduction in fuel poor households in bands E and F.
• The depth and likelihood of being fuel poor increases markedly with lower SAP scores. In 2013, 31%of households living in G rated properties were in fuel poverty, with an average fuel poverty gap of £1,274. This is compared to those living in properties with SAP ratings A-C where just two% were fuel poor and an average fuel poverty gap of £370.
• Households living in privately rented accommodation have continued to have the highest fuel poverty rates, whilst owner occupied households have had the lowest rates of fuel poverty. This pattern has been consistent since 2003. The depth of fuel poverty is largest for owner occupied properties and smallest for households living in local authority properties (with average fuel poverty gaps of £459 and £199 respectively).
• All fuel poor households come from the bottom four income decile groups. In 2013, around 40% of each of the bottom two deciles were fuel poor as were 13% of the third and fourth deciles (combined).
• Unemployed households have the highest rates of fuel poverty across all economic activity groups. This pattern has been consistent since 2003, with at least 30% of all unemployed households, but less than 10% of
working households in fuel poverty over this time.
• Lone parent households have consistently been more likely to be in fuel poverty. In 2013, 25% were fuel poor. However, the depth of fuel poverty was lowest in this group (with an average fuel poverty gap of £280).
• The level of fuel poverty was greatest amongst groups where the youngest member of the household was aged 16-24. In 2013, 23% were fuel poor.
• The number of fuel poor households is projected to remain broadly flat.
• The aggregate fuel poverty gap is projected to remain flat in 2014 and then increase to £902 million in 2015. The average gap is also projected remain flat in 2014 before increasing to £386 in 2015.
• New analysis explored the impact of using actual annual external temperatures in the modelling of fuel poverty. It was found the number of households in fuel poverty would have been 2.42 million in 2013, using this method. However, the use of a standardised set of temperatures is preferred for the headline statistics, for assessing long term changes to levels of fuel poverty and identifying where improvements can be made.

Click here to read the full report