Fuel poverty and excess winter deaths in LewishamPresentation to the shadow Health and Wellbeing Board

6 February 2013

Fuel poverty and health

Typical property in Finland Typical property in Catford

“Living at low temperatures is likely to be a significant contributor not just to excess winter deaths, but to a much larger number of incidents of ill-health and demands on the National Health Service and a wider range of problems of social isolation and poor outcomes for young people.”

Professor John Hills ‘Getting the Measure of fuel poverty’ March 2012

alternative colour optionFuel poverty and health

• Clear consensus on the link between fuel poverty and health

• Exposure to low temperatures increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and respiratory problems

• Impact on mental health, broken bones and other physical injuries from falls

• Results in lower quality of life and increased demand for health and social services

• 90 excess winter deaths in Lewisham in 10/11

Fuel poverty in Lewisham

• Higher than the London average

• Likely to go up

Three factors underlying fuel poverty

• Low income• Poor energy efficiency• Energy prices

• 11% households in Lewisham identified as being in fuel poverty

alternative colour optionAction on fuel poverty

Action on fuel poverty

• Income maximisation

• Improving insulation and heating systems

• Tariff switching

• Advice and support

• Lewisham Energy Action Zone

• Lewisham Insulation Partnership

• Warm Homes Healthy People

Lewisham Warm Homes Healthy People

• DoH funded, £106k in 2012/13• Helping 300 vulnerable households this winter• Support offered includes

– Home energy visit– Winter warmer pack– Insulation, draught proofing, heating repairs,

emergency heating– Income maximisation and debt advice– Befriending and help at home services– Cold alarms– Fire safety checks

alternative colour optionLewisham Warm Homes Healthy People

Lewisham Warm Homes Healthy People referrals

Council (Housing)

Council (ASC)

Council (Other)

Social Housing

Community organisations

GPs

Lewisham NHS healthcare

SLAM

ASC service providers

Other

Referrals from adult social care, housing providers, community nurses, GPs, community organisations, public sector partners…

Key opportunities and risk

Action on fuel poverty • Enables us to draw in external funding• Creates mutually beneficial partnerships across the

public and community sectors• Focuses resource on the most disadvantaged and is

closely aligned to key challenges for public health locally• Can reduce financial pressures on health services

However no direct funding after March 2013