As fuel prices continue to soar, more and more people are finding themselves unable to meet the basic costs of energy, and may be forced to choose between (for example) adequate food and adequate warmth—they are in fuel poverty. It is a complex issue, and for years companies, governments and civil society have vigorously apportioned blame with little to show in the way of practical results.

Since its publication in the early '90s, Brenda Boardman's Fuel Poverty has been the keystone text for those wishing to learn about this controversial subject. In this, its successor, she turns a critical eye to the new millennium and finds that the situation, while now more widely recognized, is far from having improved. The book begins by discussing the political awakening to the issue and exploring just who constitutes the fuel poor, and how this has changed in recent decades. It examines the traditional and emerging drivers for the problem, and looks at and evaluates the policies that have been employed to help alleviate the problem. The latter part presents a detailed set of proposals based around long-term improvements in housing stock that must be employed if we are to avoid a seemingly inexorable slide in the face of political best intentions.

Table of Contents:

1. Political recognition
2. Finding the fuel poor
3. Income as a cause
4. Fuel prices and policy
5. Energy use and emissions
6. Energy efficiency of the housing stock
7. Warmth and health: the benefits of action and penalties of inaction
8. Governance and budgets
9. Solutions