Fuel Poverty in Northern Ireland

Update on what’s happening

Christine Liddell

A bit of a reframe

Area-based targeting is now our legislated FP Strategy

Find areas where people are in extreme FP

0-5% 5-10% 10-15% 15-20% 20-25% +25%

Needs to spend on heat and light

10% threshold

Per

cen

tag

e H

H’s

How do we find them?

Northern Ireland 201142% in FP but half near the threshold

How does the FP Targeting Algorithm perform?

If we picked 2000 addresses out of a hat

• 42% would be in fuel poverty• 22% would be in severe fuel poverty

With Council support, we picked 2000 using the targeting algorithm

• 82% were in fuel poverty• 64% were in severe fuel poverty

A bit of a reframe

Our work is about people

not houses

What the Assessorsees and measures

Home as safe haven

Home as where you arein control

Home as “where you canspend Christmas morning in your

pyjamas”What people perceive

Excess winter deathsImproving international methodology

Average monthly number of deaths in the 4 months of winter (Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar)

compared with

Average months number of deaths in the other 8 months

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

EuropeDo cold days only occur in• December• January• February• March?

NN

Y

YY

N

Y

Source: Liddell, 2014

Y

18%

10%

12%

21%

16%

8%

12%

14%

12%

28%

13%

14%

Officialexcess winter death index 1980-2013

Europe

19%21%

18%

12%12%

12%

13%

Source: Liddell, 2014

12%

18%

+10%

12%

21%

16%

+8%

+12%

14%

+12%

28%

+13%

14%

Officialexcess winter death index 1980-2013

Europe

+19%+21%

18%

12%12%

+12%

13%

Source: Liddell, 2014

+12%

Official excess winter death index 1980-2013

Europe

Probably worse that previously thought in Northern Europe

Percentage excess winter deaths by causes of death, 1991/2 to 2012/13, UK regions

Respiratory ADRD Circulatory

E S W N E S W N E S W N

%55 50 43 40 27 29 31 31 18 18 13 14

Percentage excess winter deaths by causes of death, 1991/2 to 2012/13, UK regions

Tackling fuel poverty improves most people’s

mental health

It can also improve the physical health of some.

Greatest NPV is you target people in poor health

New messaging around FP and HealthThe emerging consensus

Thanks for asking me!