Measuring fuel poverty
BRE is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.
On 3 June 2016, BRE published Measuring Fuel Poverty, written by Claire Summers, Jack Hulme and Busola Siyanbola.
BRE has been measuring fuel poverty on behalf of the UK government since the 1990s. The new publication describes the origins and development of the fuel poverty concept, its measurement in the UK, and how it is used to help target those households most at risk of being unable to heat their homes.
The concept considers that households in fuel poverty may be placing themselves at risk by not heating their homes to sufficiently to prevent ill health. To assist these households, it is first necessary to identify them.
The two main measures of fuel poverty are the 10% definition and the Hills Low Income High costs (LIHC) definition.
- The 10% definition identifies fuel-poor households as those that would be required to spend more than 10% of their household income on fuel in order to meet a specified heating regime.
- The Hills LIHC definition identifies fuel-poor households as those with an income below the official poverty line coupled with higher-than-average fuel costs.
At present the Hills LIHC definition is used to measure fuel poverty in England, whilst the 10% definition is used in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The publication explains the development and definitions of fuel poverty, and summarises fuel poverty trends over time. It considers who the fuel poor are, and looks at the reasons for changing levels of fuel poverty. It is intended to provide background to the concept for housing associations and housing providers, energy suppliers, policy makers, energy consultants and academics.
Its contents are:
- Introduction
- Fuel poverty methodology
- Fuel poverty trends
- Fuel poverty at a local level
- Conclusions and the future of fuel poverty development
- References
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- A measure of net well-being that incorporates the effect of housing environmental impacts.
- Adapting 1965-1980 semi-detached dwellings in the UK to reduce summer overheating and the effect of the 2010 Building Regulations.
- Anatomy of low carbon retrofits: evidence from owner-occupied superhomes.
- BRE and Willmott Dixon project to retrofit of a 1920s semi-detached house.
- Building Research Establishment BRE
- Energy companies obligation ECO.
- Fuel poverty.
- Green deal scrapped.
- Heat Energy: The Nation’s Forgotten Crisis.
- Housing contribution to regeneration.
- Poverty.
- Renovation Wave Strategy RWS.
- The cold man of europe 2015.
- The full cost of poor housing.
- The Future of Electricity in Domestic Buildings.
- The real cost of poor housing.
- Transitioning to eco-cities: Reducing carbon emissions while improving urban welfare.
- Well-being and regeneration: Reflections from Carpenters Estate.
- Wellbeing.
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.