Unpaid Carers and Fuel Poverty

Carers are much more likely than the UK population as a whole to be living in cold, unheated accommodation. This is the stark finding of Running on Empty, a new report based on extensive analysis of datasets studying the income, wellbeing and expenditure of people across the UK. The research is also based on interviews with carers from across England, Scotland and Wales. The research was commissioned by Carers Trust and was carried out by Care Full. The research found fuel poverty rates amongst certain groups of carers to be much higher than the national average of 13% across the UK population:

• more than a quarter (28%) of unpaid carers living in a home with just one adult carer were living in fuel poverty.
• in households where just one adult carer is living with children, the fuel poverty rate for unpaid carers is even higher – rising to over one third (36%)

Other groups of carers suffering from fuel poverty rates higher than the national average include:

• almost half (49%) of all unpaid carers living in a home with just one adult, and where the carer is on Universal Credit, are experiencing fuel poverty
• 22% of unpaid carers in homes with more than one adult, and where the carer is on Universal Credit, are experiencing fuel poverty
• almost one in five (19%) of young adult carers living with other adults are experiencing fuel poverty
• and 17% of carers on Carer’s Allowance are experiencing fuel poverty

To reduce fuel poverty amongst the wider population and carers, the report puts forward recommendations on a social tariff open to those on low incomes including unpaid carers, reform of social security, and for the Government to take steps to ensure everyone can afford life’s essentials.