14/09/2017 1

Tackling inequalities in non-gas homes

Jeremy Nesbitt

2

The hardest hit as everywhere are those who have no choice…… Theodor Adorno, Philosopher and Sociologist

3

• Households without a connection to the gas grid have 1.5 times the risk of being in fuel poverty than those with a mains gas connection

• 26% of off-gas households in England are in fuel poverty, compared with 10% of those using mains gas

• In Scotland, 56% of off-gas households are in fuel poverty, compared with 29% that use mains gas

• In Wales, 49% of off-gas households are in Fuel Poverty, compared with 23% of households that use mains gas

Non-gas homes contain some of the poorest, coldest and most vulnerable members of our communities

• We must ensure that the most vulnerable do not lose out because of policy decisions, we must support government in reaching the BEST solution

• Ofgem’s ‘Fuel Poor Network Extension Scheme’ – consultation recently launched that will severely impact on the ability to connect off gas grid homes• Engage with your Gas Distribution Network company to discuss the implications

• Forthcoming ECO consultation:• Definition of a First Time Heating System – storage heaters are they really a heating

system?

• Increase LA flex arrangements

• How can suppliers be better incentivised to deliver to this group of households?

• The Private Rented Sector: evidence shows residents are facing greatest hardship and arguably at most risk, with 35% of all fuel poor households in England living in PR accommodation, over 850,000 households

• The Coalition Government introduced minimum energy performance standards in the worst Private Rented Properties in England and Wales in 2011 which shortly come into force

• There has however been delays implementing this policy fully and there is an urgent need to provide clarity on how landlords will be required to meet these requirements

• Due to lack of financial support, e.g. the Landlord Energy Saving Allowance, there is a risk that landlords will use the lack of funding as a reason not to invest in essential energy efficiency measures

• To be successful we need to collaborate but to do it successfully we need to ensure key stakeholders have direct access to INFORMATION that will help identify Fuel Poor Homes and available funding• Non-gas maps: we have the ability to identify non gas homes but are

restricted by legislation dating back to 1947…!!

• Collectively we need explore how the data we hold can better inform partners: challenge the status quo to enable schemes to be more efficient and impactful

• The CFP advisory group (Off Gas Grid) recommends the following:• Endorse the call for Energy Efficiency to be declared a National Infrastructure

Project• An interim publicly funded programme to target rural ‘F&G’ off gas-grid

homes, to be used to supplement ECO and provide up front funding for RHI eligible measures

• National Grid ‘Warm Homes Fund’ – a voluntary £150m programme to support the installation of first time heating systems together with support networks• Over 200 bids that’s 2 x over subscribed• The Warm Homes Fund will make money available for investment this winter

• What are the costs associated with identifying Fuel Poor Homes…?

• Social experiment………..

• A potential solution to support targeting:‘Project for the Accurate Identification of Vulnerability (PAIV)’

• Uses publicly-available data to create a model for local

authorities and social housing providers to identify

Vulnerable (Fuel Poor) homes

• Available early 2018

……. And finally

May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears.

Nelson Mandela

Jeremy NesbittM 07968 475213E Jeremy.nesbitt@ngrid-aws.org.uk

www.affordablewarmthsolutions.org.uk

Thank you