By IW Observer.co.uk
Local energy-saving charity, The Footprint Trust, has warned that the percentage of Island households suffering from fuel poverty will double.
The figures are set to jump from the pre-Covid figure of around 9 per cent of households to 17.6 per cent. The information was recently released by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition in April, revealing that the Isle of Wight will continue to have some of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the south east, with an average of around 8.6 per cent.
The Footprint Trust estimates that the current number of fuel-poor homes is around 8,000, whilst official figures say the number is some 6,000. Looking forward, it is clear that at least 11,000 households will be in economic hardship.
This is due to a culmination of various factors, including rising inflation, massive increases in the cost of domestic fuel, loss of jobs and benefits cuts.
Isle of Wight Observer 
Press Release