Fuel poverty hits people hard in parts of UK: Study

Around a third of the people living in the east of England are reportedly in ''fuel poverty'' which is among the highest rates in the country, according to new figures that have turned out to be the cause of much alarm.

According to the research, 31 per cent of the people in the region have been included in the category of fuel poor – those who spend 10 per cent or over on their net monthly income on energy bills.

The east of England has the second highest rate in the country, and comes just behind Wales which has 32 per cent.

The price comparison website u.Switch.com featured the results which showed there were huge differences in fuel poverty levels depending on where one lived.

London and the Midlands came in at the lowest regional levels at 16 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.

According to Helen Taylor, information manager at Age UK Suffolk, it was deplorable that over 2.5 million older households in the UK were living in fuel poverty.