Fuel poverty crisis affecting millions of households spotlighted in art piece | UK | News
An ice sculpture of classic two-up, two-down terraced houses has been unveiled, shining a light on the millions of people living in fuel poverty in the UK. Three meters wide and one and a half meters high, the installation symbolizes homes that remain ‘frozen’ due to increasing energy costs.
The sculpture, on display in London’s Borough Yards, is part of a campaign by Skipton Building Society, Age UK and National Energy Action to highlight the growing crisis facing households.
Sylvia Stoianova, program director of the National Child Mortality Database at the University of Bristol, said warm, dry homes were a life-saving necessity and called for ‘urgent’ action to address the inequalities that expose both the elderly and the very young to unsafe living conditions.
He said: “Fuel poverty forces many families to make impossible choices between heating and other basic needs, causing avoidable suffering and sometimes loss of life.”
He highlighted that a number of serious health problems in babies and children can be linked to cold homes, such as low birth weight, premature birth and delayed development. Lack of heating can also cause dampness and mold to build up, triggering respiratory problems and worsening asthma outcomes.
In addition, Age UK CEO Paul Farmer emphasized that approximately 1.1 million households in the UK with a person aged 60 or over live in fuel poverty.
“Rising energy prices and inflationary increases in basic daily needs are already depleting the budgets of low-income retirees, many of whom have little or little savings.”
“This campaign shines a light on this crisis hiding in plain sight and gives us the opportunity to raise awareness of the support available for older people and why it is so needed.”
As part of the campaign, the survey of 1,500 adults aged 65 and over found that 42% of respondents were worried about the winter season, with heating and energy bills at the top of their list of concerns. More than half expect the cost of energy to put significant pressure on their finances this winter.
Michaela Wright, group head of sustainability at Skipton Building Society, encourages online donations to the campaign and in each branch he said: “The situation is heartbreaking. No one should have to choose between keeping warm and meeting basic needs. But our research shows this is the reality for too many people.”
Skipton explained that they are working with charity partners Age UK and National Energy Action, chosen by members and colleagues, to not only raise awareness but also provide practical support.
In addition to charity partners receiving a portion of their 1% pre-tax profits as a charitable donation, a further £50,000 will be split between partners as part of the campaign. They hope this will bring warmth and reassurance to those who need it most.
Adam Scorer, chief executive of National Energy Action, added: “Our mission is to ensure everyone can live in a warm, healthy home.”
