Running on empty: unpaid carers’ experiences of fuel poverty in the UK

An estimated 6.1 million households in the UK are in fuel poverty, their finances strained under the costs of energy bills. And, in the UK, those with caring responsibilities are more likely to experience poverty. But there is no equivalent evidence for the intersection of care and fuel poverty. This research, commissioned by Carers Trust, explores this important issue and poses systemic recommendations to overcome fuel poverty.

Building a caring economy: universal basic services policy briefing

The concept of fuel poverty has utility in matching the financial precarity experienced by so many in our current economy with the systems that drive it; namely, our privatised energy systems. Care Full’s exploration of the number of unpaid carers experiencing fuel poverty and the nature of their experiences revealed to us a stark reality and led us to this call for truly transformative solutions.

In this paper, we make the case for a universal basic energy service on the basis of three core benefits: fairness, efficiency and sustainability.