Uncovering hidden geographies and socio-economic influences on fuel poverty using household fuel spend data: A meso-scale study in Scotland

Abstract

Internationally, previous studies have investigated the impact of socioeconomic and physical dwelling factors on household electricity consumption however, to date, few such studies have been conducted in the UK. A previous paper identified six studies that have accessed actual (as opposed to modelled) energy consumption or expenditure data and analysed these against sets of technical and socioeconomic factors. This paper presents the results of a seventh UK study, representing the first in Scotland, the first to span urban and rural households, and the first to concentrate on households in the lower income deciles. The dataset, which includes records of household expenditure on gas used for space and water heating matched with records of dwelling and household information, is drawn from sources accessed through Renfrewshire Council and analysed using a range of standard statistical techniques. The results uncover evidence for previously unreported geographies of fuel poverty, and in so doing challenges commonly used assumptions, metrics, and approaches to policy making. Key findings include figures showing low income rural households in Scotland are spending significantly more on energy than their urban equivalents, and evidence showing that rural households on lower incomes may be spending more on heating than those on higher incomes.

Never try and face the journey alone: Exploring the face-to-face advocacy needs of fuel poor householders in the United Kingdom

“…The householders who would not typically be classified as vulnerable provide useful contextual evidence on why they sought out support from the organisation and the benefits they received. As for our previous studies [14,23] household records were compiled by trusted intermediaries [65,66], subject to the provisions and restrictions of the UK's Data Protection Act 1998 [67] and Welfare Reform Act (as amended 2012) [68]. A sample of 2007 records gathered from householders in Renfrewshire who first accessed the service between August 2014 and December 2016 were interrogated to quantify the different forms of support being sought.…”

“…With the exception of England, which adopted a 'low income -high costs' (LIHC) definition in 2013 [21], the UK defines a household as being fuel poor according to the '10% of income' (Boardmanbased) definition, with minor variations between Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland [22]. We and other authors have previously argued in favour of the benefits of the Boardman definition, and against the adoption of a LIHC definition [23,24]; but we have also highlighted the limitations of the Boardman definition and proposed the basis for a reconceptualisation that includes a risk-based assessment of householder vulnerability [17,18].…”

Occupant behaviour as a fourth driver of fuel poverty (aka warmth & energy deprivation)

“…In some cases, fear of being cut-off leads to prioritisation of fuel over food (Trevisan et al, 2014). The importance of budgeting is demonstrated by high variation in the absolute and relative amounts of income spent on fuel by low income households (Mould and Baker, 2017b; Middlemiss and Gillard, 2015).…”

Hidden geographies of population implosion in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…A case from Scotland, where hidden geographies that exist through variations in household behaviour were not addressed effectively through different programmes (Mould and Baker, 2017), should serve as a reminder that Bosnia and Herzegovina's future population programmes and population policies should consider these hidden geographies of population implosion in relation to its citizens' system of values and not ignore them as before.…”