A MAJOR study is to examine ways of combating rural fuel poverty.

The Rural Services Network will investigate the extent of fuel poverty in the countryside.

Households are defined as being in fuel poverty if they spend more than 10% of their income on heating and energy.

Researchers will examine the effect of fuel poverty on consumers, service providers and the local economy.

The study has been commissioned by the Commission for Rural Communities.

A steering group will oversee the inquiry process.

It includes a consultation for rural stakeholders.

Potential respondents can download a copy of the consultation document by clicking here.

Last month, government advisers warned that fuel poverty levels had increased threefold within the past five years.

Existing measures were inadequate to deal with the scope of the problem, said the fuel poverty advisory group.

The study seeks to identify the specific challenges of addressing fuel poverty in rural areas - including barriers to older people taking up support - and make recommendations for action.

It will also look at activities undertaken by steering group members to tackle rural fuel poverty and energy efficiency.

Three pilot areas will later seek to produce robust data about the scale and depth of fuel poverty and test out different approaches to tackling the issue.

Study findings will be used to advise the government and key policy makers on ways of increasing energy efficiency.

Responses to the stakeholder consultation should be made by 15 September 2009.

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written by William Baker, December 17, 2009

Please keep me informed of your work. I sat on the original steering group for this project.

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