Right place, right people, right time: Using data to help tackle fuel poverty

In 2023, there were an estimated 13% of households (3.17 million) in fuel poverty in England, Government figures show, with the figure effectively unchanged from 13.1% in 2022 (3.18 million).

Fuel poverty is said to be when a household spends 10% or more of its total monthly income on energy. At the heart of the problem is the country’s old housing stock, with draughty buildings that can be costly to heat, and generate large emissions.

There is some good news though. Because of improvements to the energy efficiency of many homes around the country, there has been a slight increase in the number of households meeting the 2030 fuel poverty target. In 2023 54% of low-income households were living in a property with a Fuel Poverty Energy Efficiency Rating of band C or better, up from 53.1% in 2022.

Thankfully, a new E.ON tool is being offered to local authorities where fuel poverty and homes with poor insulation is an ongoing issue. Called PropSol, it uses multiple data sets to pinpoint which homes are most vulnerable and help regional authorities apply for national funding for energy efficiency technologies such as cavity wall and loft insulation to help address fuel poverty.

Mapping out the problem

PropSol pulls more than 30 million rows of data from multiple sources, which can be filtered to a targeted list on a map of properties which could benefit most from energy saving grants. The data includes UK census and the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) as well Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) information and building fabric data. By analysing this data it can paint a specific picture of individual buildings which could most benefit from energy upgrades: for example the age of the building and its primary heating source, as well as detailed construction information such as wall and roof types and insulation.

This analysis can be cross checked against household eligibility for grants and other support, combined with data on socio-economic factors such as employment and education levels.

With this clear, concise information, local authorities can pinpoint which homes are at a high risk of fuel poverty and target their outreach accordingly.

PropSol brings attention to homes in need that may have otherwise flown under the radar. It also saves local authorities money on running potentially expensive outreach campaigns, allowing more of their budgets to go towards home renovations.

E.ON uses PropSol and its data to help cities with their decarbonisation ambitions. Eventually PropSol data could be used to help create a virtual digital twin of a city, allowing city leaders to simulate real situations and their outcomes, allowing them to make better decisions.

PropSol was developed to support UK goals to improve energy efficiency and reach net-zero by 2050, especially in targeting assistance available through Government support schemes such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and the Home Upgrade Grant which offer low-income, energy inefficient households free insulation, heat pumps and solar panels to reduce energy bills. With PropSol, local authorities applying for grants can identify the families most in need of energy efficient homes.

Targeting rural regions

PropSol is already making a big impact across rural UK from the South East to North West, throughout the Midlands and in the North. For example it helped The Highland Council to identify, prioritise and secure funding for households in need. So far, more than 2,000 external wall insulations have been completed according to PropSol analysis, either for free or with minimal costs to households. Further upgrades, including air source heat pumps, will reduce their energy bills as well as carbon emissions.

The Scottish Highlands has some of the UK’s worst levels of fuel poverty. About 22% of households experience extreme fuel poverty, spending more than 20% of household income on heating. Because of the sparse, mountainous geography, many people aren’t connected to main gas grids. In some hard-to-reach areas, up to 70% of houses depend on costly oil for heating.

The technology has also supported municipalities in Wales: Bridgend County Borough Council, Vale of Glamorgan and social landlord Valley to Coast Housing. In some areas, up to 45% of homes use oil heating systems and households are twice as likely to experience fuel poverty compared to urban areas. PropSol has been used to identify buildings which have since received upgrades including insulation and heat pumps.

Innovative urban solution

Now PropSol is taking on urban areas. The technology has also provided quick analysis of off-gas areas of major UK cities including Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham, enabling city planners and sustainability managers to target eligible properties for carbon saving technologies. An initial assessment of properties in Leicester helped to secure £3.6 million in funding to improve 160 homes.

PropSol’s work is not done yet. The technology and its impact will continue to grow and support local authorities by sharing their data and know-how in securing funding and taking measures to tackle fuel poverty.