SIR – Great news! It seems the number of people classified as being in ‘fuel poverty’ in England is set to fall, and by about 800,000!
So, does this mean the poor are getting a bit richer or that fuel is drastically coming down in price? Well, unfortunately the answer to these questions is ‘no’ and ‘no’!
It seems the Government's latest wheeze follows the principle ‘if you're not winning the game...change the rules or move the goalposts!’ The Energy Bill contains a clause which will change the definition of the key poverty indicator, reducing the number of English households counted as ‘fuel poor’ at a stroke from 3.2 million to 2.4 million!
The new definition, which could come into force in time for Christmas, will reduce the number of fuel-poor households by nearly a third, from 15 per cent to 11 per cent. Thus, more than three quarters of a million people are lifted out of poverty! ‘Tidings of joy at Christmas’ or what?
David Hornsby, West View Avenue, Wrose
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