Over one in eight households in Devon are in fuel poverty (12.95%), which is above the South West (12.16%), local authority comparator group (10.26%), and England (10.56%) rates. Levels of fuel poverty Devon are the highest in the local authority comparator group, as illustrated in figure 10.15. Within Devon the highest levels of fuel poverty were seen in West Devon (15.16%) and the lowest were seen in East Devon (11.26%) as shown in figure 10.16. Figure 10.17 reveals that at a community level, fuel poverty is most prevalent in isolated and deprived rural areas, especially in North and West Devon, and in some urban centres. Levels of fuel poverty increased between 2011 and 2014 in Devon but fell or remained stable in many other areas of the country. Fuel poverty is more prevalent in groups with low household incomes, including pensioners, persons on benefits, and working families with below average incomes. The low wage economy, particularly in North and West Devon and higher living costs contribute to levels of fuel poverty locally. Fuel poverty is highest and has increased fastest in the most deprived areas.
Figure 10.15, Percentage of households that experience fuel poverty based on the ‘Low income, high cost’ methodology, Devon Local Authority Comparator Group, 2014
Source: Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), 2016
Figure 10.16, Percentage of households that experience fuel poverty based on the ‘Low income, high cost’ methodology, Devon Local Authority Districts, 2012
Source: Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), 2016
Figure 10.17, Percentage of households that experience fuel poverty based on the ‘Low income, high cost’ methodology by LSOA, 2014
Source: Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), 2016