by Mark McCollum – Co-ordinator The Voice of Older People Donegal
The New ‘F’ Word
There is a new ‘F’ word being discussed throughout the Country; go into any shop, garage, or post office (the ones that are still open), and you will hear people talking about the seemingly inexorable rise in Fuel costs. As a direct result of the additional ‘carbon levy’ it is predicted that there will be significant increase in what is classified as ‘Fuel Poverty’.
Fuel Poverty’ (the new F word) is said to occur when in order to heat their home to an adequate standard of warmth a household needs to spend more than 10% of its income on total fuel use. That’s the official definition
However, this definition does not take account of the amount that a household actually spends on fuel, nor the amount available for the household to spend on fuel after other costs have been met.
Fuel poverty is not just about access to heating as the definition of ‘fuel’ is taken to include all expenditure on domestic energy, including that used for hot water, cooling, lights and appliances.
It has to be acknowledged that the Government has retained a reduced fuel allowance for 26 weeks, and make a contribution to offsetting, electricity cost indirectly by continuing to offer free units (albeit at a significantly reduced level). However, any progress made in tackling fuel poverty is at risk of being completely obliterated by the rocketing energy prices.
Notwithstanding, the ambiguities around how the concept is defined, caused or the complexity of the issues involved, what must be addressed is how the situation can be ameliorated for the thousands of vulnerable older people that will be affected.
There is a strong causal relationship between poor inadequately insulated housing, fuel poverty and adverse health; and in general terms, which group lives in the poorest housing stock? Older People!
It is an extremely serious situation, and one which has become more and more prevalent over the recent months as the temperature has remained stubbornly low. In the current cooling economic climate the stark fact is, that the area of Fuel Poverty and its affect on older people has long ceased to be an academic matter, put bluntly, it is matter of life or death; the harsh reality is, a significant number of deaths of older people in the winter months can be attributed to Fuel poverty.
One only has to look at the forecourts of the numerous petrol stations around the County to see that there is an increase in the availability of the 5 gallon ‘emergency’ home heating supply, this it seems is how more and more people are obtaining their fuel, in smaller and smaller quantities, and paying a premium price, there are also apocryphal stories of older people scavenging for wood and cutting up pallets to generate heat, is this how we want to people to exist in 21st Century Ireland.
There is a prevailing sense of fear and uncertainty and despite the talk of green shoots, the reality is that the cumulative affect of the numerous taxes, levy’s and cuts are reducing people to a state of exception in which they exist rather than live.
To this end, The Voice of Older People, Donegal is strongly urging the Government, energy providers and all relevant agencies to take resolute steps to ensure that vulnerable older people are protected from the adverse affects of rising fuel prices, so that they can afford to heat their homes. We are not looking for reactive, quick fix solutions, but we are looking to government and all other relevant agencies to provide a collective response in tackling this issue.
Energy providers at both local and national level can play their part in easing hardship for older people by implementing measures to defer any increased charges, such as the introduction of payment cards and absorbing some of the increases.
Over the coming months it appears as though the cost of keeping warm will continue to increase, things have to be done to stop older people having to pay the ultimate price in order to stay warm; the time for talking is over, and firm action needs to be taken and quickly to address this all to real problem.
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