Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the reasons for the change in the level of fuel poverty between 2014 and 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Whether a household is classified as fuel poor depends on the interaction between three key factors: household incomes, household energy efficiency and fuel prices. Between 2014 and 2015 incomes for all groups increased, however the rise for lower income households was relatively small. This may have resulted in some low income households being reclassified as fuel poor in 2015. Furthermore, the number of households classified as fuel poor in 2015 is lower than the peak number of household in 2009.

Our primary focus is on reducing the severity of fuel poverty by improving home energy efficiency. The energy efficiency of fuel poor homes is improving with 835,000 fewer E, F or G rated fuel poor homes in 2015 compared to 2010.

We are committed to keeping bills down for all households. Last year Ofgem introduced a safeguard tariff, capping the amount suppliers can charge pre-payment meter customers. The safeguard tariff cap was recently extended to those getting the Warm Home Discount so that five million vulnerable people are now protected. We have also just introduced new measures into Parliament on capping energy prices for domestic customers on standard variable or default tariffs by the end of the year that will bring even more benefits to customers.