Fuel PovertyCase studies

Freda

Freda is an owner occupier and has no mortgage on her home. She has lived in a 4 bed detached house in Beaumont Park for nearly 40 years.

Her children got married and moved away from Huddersfield, and since her husband died 5 years ago she lives alone in the house.

Photo: Golden bond by abhishek_jacob

Her only income is state pension which is £107 per week.

She manages on her income through careful budgeting, and is very concerned to pay her way and not get into debt.

Photo: Sliced Dark Rye bread by avlxyz

The house has gas central heating but the boiler is nearly 20 years old.

Photo: Old boiler by wikidave

The house has little insulation and is draughty.

Photo: Curtains by sk8geek

Freda has been using candles and tea lights to help keep the house warm upstairs.

Photo: Tea light by 4nitsirk

Freda feels the cold more as her arthritis means she cannot get out and about as much as she used to, but she is worried about the

cost of heating.

She has always been with British Gas, and they sent a letter saying that the price of gas was increasing. She pays quarterly when the bill arrives. She is worried that her next bill will be larger than usual and so she is trying not to use the heating too much.

She turns the central heating on when she feels cold, and turns it off again when she has ‘taken the chill off’.

She uses a gas fire in the living room.

Asma & Paul

Asma and Paul live with their 2 daughters under 5 in a 3 bed private rented house in Lindley.

Paul works full time and until recently they have managed on his wages plus tax credits and local housing allowance.

With the changes to the welfare benefit system they have seen a weekly drop in income of £30, which is a significant amount of money for the family.

They have started to miss some bills. They are £200 behind on their energy bills and have also missed paying their TV license payment.

Photo: Banknotes by howardlake

They have gas central heating which they leave on all the time...

turning the thermostat up and down when they get too warm or cold.

They enjoy watching films and playing games. They have a large TV, a Wii and a computer with internet access.

Photo: TV with iPod by revdancatt

Two young children means lots of washing gets done...

Asma uses her washer dryer to do 2 washes a day.

They know they need to make savings to make up for the loss in income, but are not sure what to do for the best.

Photo: Injured Piggy Bank by teegardin

The weather is getting colder and they know the one thing they want to do is keep the house warm for their children.

They don’t think they can make any changes in the home to save them money on their fuel bills.

Photo: Crocodile mittens by dainec

Asma & Paul

Freda

Image credits:

Golden bond by abhishek_jacobSliced Dark Rye bread by avlxyz

Old boiler by wikidaveCurtains by sk8geekTea light by 4nitsirk

Banknotes by howardlakeTV with iPod by revdancatt

Injured Piggy Bank by teegardinCrocodile mittens by dainec

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