Did you know that 12.2 per cent of households in the South Hams are living in fuel poverty?

Fuel Poverty Awareness day on Friday, February 23, seeks to draw attention to those households who commonly face the difficult choice between eating or turning on the heating.

The figures released by the Department of Energy and Climate found that out of the 38,722 households in the South Hams, 4,711 were experiencing fuel poverty.

In some areas in the South Hams, fuel poverty is at 16 per cent or more which places them in the highest ten per cent in England. These figures come from a report completed in 2015.

But for those renting their homes, new laws coming into effect in April should help. Landlords of privately rented domestic properties in England and Wales will have to invest in energy efficiency and achieve an Energy Performance Certificate rating of at least E before granting a new tenancy to new or existing tenants.

Right now, nearly 18 per cent of privately rented properties in the South Hams will fail the requirement, with ratings of just F or G.

Being in fuel poverty is defined as spending 10 per cent or more of your income on fuel.

Citizens Advice South Hams is providing guidance to both landlords and tenants on the new requirements, promoting free energy efficiency assessments and helping tenants switch energy providers and access cheaper tariffs when appropriate.

Nick White, sustainable tenancies project coordinator at Citizens Advice South Hams said new suppliers are popping up daily and it is almost impossible to keep up with the competition in the fuel market.

“We have been able to help some clients save up to £500 a year just by helping them switch suppliers/tariff” added Nick.

“I have found a definite pattern of clients without the benefit of a gas supply who are reliant on electric heating. Since unit costs for electricity are typically three times that of gas, combined in some cases with a poor understanding of how to use electric heaters efficiently, this is leaving many clients with unaffordable winter bills. “However, in almost all these properties, tenants are still feeling excessively cold. Investment in insulation and more energy efficient appliances could dramatically reduce tenants’ energy costs and keep them warmer and safer from excessive damp and related illnesses. Improvements might actually be possible without a significant cost to tenant or landlord, through funding schemes.”

If you would like help from the project you just need a recent copy of your bill and some basic information such as your supplier and how much you pay each month. Citizens Advice will then look at your energy bills and other costs to see if they can be reduced to maximise your income.

For more information, contact Nick White on [email protected].

Citizens Advice will be holding Energy Advice Surgeries at the following locations: Totnes Job Centre on February 20 and 26, Kingsbridge Food Bank on February 16 and March 2 and 16, Dartmouth Children’s Centre on March 7, Dartmouth Library on February 23 and March 23 and Dartmouth Community Chest on March 9.