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FUEL POVERTY

Pioneer Social Enterprise Ltd. is very aware about the effects of fuel poverty on our local community. We work to support those in need through volunteering opportunities, training for recognised NVQ's, our food bank and food related clubs for our volunteers. 

WHAT IS FUEL POVERTY?

According to the Energy People Trust the Government defines fuel poverty as the need to spend more than 10% of household income to achieve adequate levels of warmth in the home and meet their other energy needs. Adequate warmth is defined as 21°C/23°C in the main living areas and 18°C in other areas.

 

‘Affordable warmth’ is often regarded as the reverse of fuel poverty, i.e. it describes the situation in which households do not need to spend more than 10% of income to achieve adequate warmth. However, the affordability of running appliances is also an important consideration. This is because appliances account for a growing proportion of households’ energy budgets and because low income households tend to use older and more inefficient appliances.

CAUSES OF FUEL POVERTY:

Three key factors contribute to fuel poverty:

 

  • Low household income - the cost of heating a home accounts for a bigger proportion of total income for those on benefits or low wages

  • Energy efficiency - the quality of the building and its insulation, and the efficiency of the heat source affect how much energy must be bought to heat a home adequately

  • Fuel costs

 

Experienced by Pensioners and Low Income Families struggling to heat their homes and put nutritious meals on the table.

They are often going without food to be able to heat their home or vice versa.

 

Other factors that contribute to fuel poverty are:

 

  • Under occupation – when people on low incomes live in properties that are bigger than they need, for example, an older person who lives alone in a house that was once a family home

  • Appliance use – households use more appliances than they did 20 years ago. Low-income families are more likely to use older, less efficient appliances that have higher running costs

 

 

Our Solution:

 

  • A training project for unemployed individuals.

  • Volunteering opportunities for people of all ages.

  • Packing and delivering Friendship food parcels.

  • Enabling Pensioners and Low Income Families to balance the need to heat and eat.

  • Contribute towards a reduction in the number of occupied hospital beds.

  • Reduce Pensioners feelings of isolation and loneliness. 

  • Get food which is past its sell by date, but within its best before/use by date, from 4 major retailers, thus preventing it from going to landfill.

  • Offer a low cost food parcel delivery service.

 

 

This wonderful shop has helped out the local community by providing food bags and has unfortunately become yet another commercial victim of COVID and we are sorry to hear that they are closing.

Thank for you all your help!

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