UK: Warning over growing fuel poverty

Almost a quarter of the population will be in fuel poverty by next year and those on low incomes will be especially badly hit, new figures have shown.

A report published by the National Housing Federation shows that by the end of 2009 5.7 million UK households will be spending at least 10% of their annual income on energy bills – an increase of 100% since 2005.
The research, entitled Energy Prices and Debt, written by IPA Energy and Water Economics, says around 5.7 million people will be in fuel poverty by 2009, compared with around 3.8 million in 2007 and 2.4 million in 2005. It says annual electricity bills are expected to increase to over