New government statistics reveal Stoke-on-Trent now leads England in fuel poverty, with almost a quarter of its households struggling to afford heating, surpassing Birmingham.
According to analysis by the fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA), Stoke-on-Trent now has the highest proportion of households living in fuel poverty at 24.7%, while Birmingham retains the highest total number of households affected, with over 105,000 living in fuel poverty.
The data highlights ongoing challenges in vulnerable communities, particularly in the West Midlands.
Adam Scorer from National Energy Action has emphasised the need for government intervention, including social tariffs and energy debt assistance, to address the issue, while acknowledging limitations in the data’s methodology.
The chief executive of National Energy Action said: “Winter 2022-23 was, we hope, the peak of the energy crisis. but this doesn’t mean the government can consider the crisis over.
“Bills remain far higher than pre-crisis levels. Households remain dangerously exposed to volatile wholesale energy prices because of how draughty our homes are and how weak household finances have become. Energy debt has reached record levels.
“The government has much to do to make sure fuel poverty of this scale does not remain a fact of life.
“A social tariff would protect those on the lowest incomes going forward, a ‘help to repay’ debt scheme would lift people out of a downward spiral, and large scale investment in energy efficiency would make homes warm and cheaper to heat in the long term.”
