One in five households in the West Midlands suffer from fuel poverty
Gas and electricity bills are to rise next week, from April 1st, with many households effected
Nearly one in five households in the West Midlands are currently suffering from fuel poverty. With gas and fuel prices set to increase at the start of next week (April 1st) warm centres across the region are preparing for a surge in demand.
In the West Midlands, the Centre for Warm has see increased demand this winter and although temperatures are improving, they don’t believe that demand is likely to fall.
New figures show one in four people living in low-income households feel they are unable to cover their bills, while half consider themselves to be living in fuel poverty. Another one in five have used a food bank in the past 12 months, with 21% admitting that while they haven’t received any government support in the past, they now feel they need it.
Concerningly, over two fifths think it is likely that they’ll need support to pay their bills beyond the existing government support currently available.
We've been speaking with Elliot Nelson a gas supplier who works closely with the Centre for Warm across the West Midlands. Elliot has been telling us how important warm spaces are when people are faced with fuel poverty.
Elliot says: "The warm centres across the West Midlands provide people in the community with a little space of sanctuary in a challenging environment where all bills are going up and people are deciding whether to heat their homes or not at all.
"We are there for people in their most needed times."
Elliot went on to tell us of the support the warm centres are providing households in the region struggling with fuel poverty.
Elliot says: "In the West Midlands nearly one in five households are effected by fuel poverty and they need a place where they can feel supported and that's where the warm centres come in.
"Through the centres we offer various support. There's physical support where we can give blankets, heaters, slow cookers.
"We are also there when people just need to talk. Some people enter the doors wanting financial advice whereas some just want company and we can provide them with a friendly chat over a cup of tea or a cup of coffee, where they can be warm."