Fuel poverty advice

Along with Wealden District Council and Action in Rural Sussex (AiRS) the document has been created to outline what fuel poverty is, who it affects and what can be done about it.

The leaflet is being given to district and parish councillors who can pass the advice on to their constituents.

It is also available to the public through the AiRS website.

A household is generally defined as being in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on all household fuel use.

Vulnerable residents are likely to suffer as household fuel and energy costs rise.

The guidance leaflet contains advice on how to deal with fuel poverty and where assistance can be found.

Pat Buesnel from Action in Rural Sussex said: "Fuel poverty can affect everyone, yet in rural areas there are a number of factors that are considered particularly problematical and which disproportionately affect rural areas. These include the lack of access to gas network and a reliance on oil, a greater number of solid wall and 'hard to treat' older properties and a poor take up in benefits and support.

"AiRS works, through its programmes, at a local community level to raise awareness of these issues and would be keen to work with individual parishes."

To download a copy of the leaflet, visit http://www.ruralsussex.org.uk/assets/assets/FuelPovertyLeaflet.pdf