Friday 2 December is Fuel Poverty Awareness Day.
Fuel poverty* has been highlighted recently due to the growing cost of fuel. But other factors include the energy efficiency of buildings and the level of income of each household. It is estimated that one in three households in the UK – some 8.2 million – will experience fuel poverty this winter.
That those least able to afford fuel also live in homes which are the most expensive and difficult to heat compounds the problem and highlights the injustice of the situation. The impact is more than not being warm. Fuel poverty leads to households taking on unsustainable levels of debt, resulting in a vicious cycle that that can be difficult to break. The health of those living in cold homes suffers, and as household budgets are squeezed there is not enough to buy food, a particular problem for households with children.
Our Gospel for the first Sunday in December introduces us to John the Baptist and his call to repentance before the coming of God’s salvation through Christ. He had particularly harsh words for the Pharisees and Sadducees, challenging them to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. We are reminded that issues such as fuel poverty are not just somebody else’s problem.
*Fuel poverty is defined as anyone living in a property with an energy efficiency rating of band D or below, and where to heat their home to 21ºC in the main living space would leave residual income below the official poverty line.
