Walsall HECA report on fuel poverty

What fuel poverty is

Fuel poverty in England is measured using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator.

A household is considered to be fuel poor if:

• they are living in a property with a fuel poverty energy efficiency rating of band D or below, and
• when they spend the required amount to heat their home, they are left with a residual income below the official poverty line

What we're doing to help

We work with our partners to tackle fuel poverty and make home energy improvements.

We have a record of success, from the nationally-acclaimed Walsall Health Through Warmth Scheme, to the first Community Energy Saving Programmes (CESP) to start in the country. We have also secured some of the highest Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) funding in the midlands region.

Our work continues with a lead in:

• tackling unlawful energy performance certificates (MEES)
• attracting Energy Company Obligation Funding (ECO and ECO-flex)
• securing Local Authority Delivery Scheme (LADS) funding in 2021 and 2022 and Home Upgrade Grant (HUGs)
• supporting Watmos Housing Association to secure one of the largest single awards of Social Housing Decarbonisation Funding (SHDF)

HECA report

We work with our partners to produce a report that incorporates the our fuel poverty and home energy conservation act action plans. This is called the HECA (Home Energy Conservation Act) Report / Action Plan.

It highlights the progress made in Walsall to tackle:

• fuel poverty
• excess winter deaths
• residential carbon emissions
• poor physical and mental health resulting from cold and damp homes

The report also contains an action plan to help tackle these issues.

Read the latest HECA report from July 2022.

Walsall Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

The Walsall joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) has a chapter on housing, which provides an overview of housing statistics and measures throughout the borough, including fuel poverty.