A new government report reveals fuel poverty is hitting 28,252 households in Cumbria.
The latest statistics for 2017 reveal 12.2% of homes in Cumbria are struggling to keep warm and pay their energy bills..
They are said to be ‘fuel poor’ which means their energy costs are above average and their disposable income after paying their bills puts them below the poverty line.
The average fuel poverty gap, the reduction in energy bills that the average fuel poor household needs to come out of fuel poverty, is £321. However, rural areas are disproportionately affected with the figure rising to £571, nearly double that of urban areas.
This is largely due to rural homes typically being older and poorly insulated, making them more expensive to keep warm.
Last month a campaign to help people insulate their homes and save on heating bills was launched by Eden district council along with Cumbria County Council.
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