See the full Study Tour Blog here. The following passages are modelled on blog posts from March 2009.

The end of fuel poverty – PowerPoint presentation

What is fuel poverty/affordable warmth?

For the majority of each year Australia is a warm, dry country. However, in Tasmania, as the days draw in, the nights become longer, the mornings cooler, and a winter approaches, the frost and the fog of the cool seasons return. It is at this time of year that heating becomes essential. Whether it be via gas, electricity, or wood fire Tasmanians must warm their homes-  but this comes at a cost. For many on low incomes the cost to heat their homes continues to represent a larger chunk of their income. For some, heating becomes unaffordable and they go without heating.

At the most basic level, “fuel poverty” is the inability to afford sufficient warmth required for comfort, health, and quality of life. Fuel poverty is not well defined in Australia, however in the United Kingdom (UK) fuel poverty occurs when households spend more than 10% of their income on fuel to achieve adequate levels of warmth in the home. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), adequate warmth is defined as 18˚C for active people and 21˚C for individuals leading more sedentary lives such as the aged. The causes of fuel poverty are many and varied, however contributory factors include low income, high energy costs, poor building standards, inadequate thermal insulation, and inefficient or expensive heating systems. In addition to the financial impact, the health consequences of fuel poverty are known to include physiological changes in the body, including hypothermia, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, asthma and mould sensitivity, stress and depression, and even premature death. Households over represented in the fuel-poor population identified internationally include older people on low incomes, single parents especially those with young children, people with disabilities, unemployed people especially those under 25, and the long term unemployed.

It is not unreasonable to assume that many low income Tasmanians endure fuel poverty in our cold winter months and suffer social isolation as well as negative financial and health consequences as a result. In addition, it likely that many low income Tasmanians occupy properties that are thermally inefficient and would benefit, both in terms of improved comfort and lower heating costs, from energy efficiency retrofits.  It is also likely, based on international evidence, that costs to our health care systems and environment may be reduced if the causes of fuel poverty were ameliorated.

Fuel poverty and the more positive affirmation, ‘affordable warmth’, are not well developed concepts in Australia. Subsequently, support services and programs providing direct assistance to those seeking affordable warmth and improvements in household energy efficiency are limited in number and scope.

Historically, the Tasmanian Government has provided concessions on the cost of electricity for residents on low incomes. However, comparatively little has been done to improve the energy efficiency of properties so as to reduce the need for energy consumption and decrease expenditure on electricity and gas.

What did the study tour involve?

paul mallett was Anglicare Tasmania’s Jerrim Fellow* for 2009.  Paul travelled through England, Scotland and Wales in May-June of that year to study UK responses to fuel poverty.  Fuel poverty is the inability to afford sufficient warmth required for comfort, health, and quality of life.  paul sought to identify viable solutions to the following social and environmental justice questions:

(1) What is required to deliver affordable warmth to all fuel poor households and protect residents from fuel poverty?

(2) What would it take to raise all low income households to a minimum standard of  energy efficiency and reduce their need for energy consumption?

(3) What would it take to ensure there are no disproportionate adverse financial consequences experienced by low income households upon the introduction of the  Australian Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme?

* The Jerrim Fellowship is named in honour of Tasmanian Henry Jerrim who was the motivating force behind the establishment of Anglicare in 1983. The Fellowship, awarded annually, provides an Anglicare employee the opportunity to visit projects and organisations interstate or overseas. By studying how services are delivered nationally or internationally and returning to Tasmania to share information and experiences, the Jerrim Fellow strives to promote the development and delivery of  high quality community services in Tasmania.

Motivation to study fuel poverty.

Since 2001 I’ve had an eye on international models of good practice, initially in the area of homelessness prevention, and thought regularly about mixing an international vacation with an exploration of overseas social and community services. I had explored the Churchill Trust, Habitat for Humanity, and several Rotary Exchanges between 2003 and 2006. I failed to pursue any option as I prioritised family during this period.

Anglicare Tasmania first offered the Jerrim Fellowship to staff via a competitive application process in 2006. I immediately explored the idea of applying, but considering my painfully slow reading and writing style I put the application aside thinking I needed to provide myself with additional time to prepare a quality study tour and write a detailed application. I did make notes from time to time on topics of interest, issues such as treatment of refugees, family violence prevention, and income poverty.

It was not until the Winter of 2007 that I narrowed my focus to the environment, and specifically the financial disadvantage suffered by clients in poor quality homes. In my capacity as a Family Support Worker, I had supported scores of families struggling with winter electricity bills. However it was one particularly family’s plight that firmed my resolve. This family of two adults and five kids, living in public housing, presented in August with an electricity disconnection notice as they owed in excess of $1500 for three months power. This was the autumn bill and they risked not having power as winter set in. The family spoke of the ineffective ceiling heating and their reliance on plug in electric heaters. I offered what support I could, but internally acknowledged that emergency relief vouchers and extended bill pay arrangements would not prevent the family being in the same position this time next year. When the family left my office I recall quickly noting “Program to retrofit all Housing Tas homes with insulation” on my office white board. That was the Winter of 2007. This note stayed on my white board for another 12 months, and served as a constant reminder for me to continue exploring the issues of affordable heating and energy efficiency.

In Spring 2007 the Jerrim Fellowship was promoted again, with a slightly modified application, and a member of the Anglicare Research team travelling around the State offering information sessions to interested (potential) applicants. The Launceston Office Reading/Action Group (a small group of critical social workers who shared readings and discussed structural change) attended an information session and learned that pairs of workers could now apply and travel together. There was some debate within the Reading Group but the busyness of our individual roles defeated any thought of pulling a well researched application together in the time frame. I recall thinking that the Fellowship is a rare and valuable opportunity, and that I needed to prepare well in advance for 2008.

In early 2008 I changed roles within Anglicare, and any thought of dedicating time before and after work to the preparation of background material for the Jerrim application vanished as I learned my new role and read Financial Counselling material in preference to anything else. I did have a back up plan, and applied in advance for annual leave to coincide with the Jerrim application period. I was granted five weeks leave beginning the end of September. Just prior to the start of my break a discussion was posted on Anglicare’s intranet by a worker concerned about frightfully cold public housing properties and the massive power bills incurred by tenants (upto $270 a fortnight for electricity to heat their homes). A member of Anglicare’s research wing replied, identifying old housing stock and a cash strapped housing department. After quickly Googling the issue I chipped in:

It would appear there is active lobbying in the UK around issues of “fuel poverty”. I believe there was a government commitment to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016, although it now appears that target will not be met.

On my first day of leave I watched the 2008 AFL Grand Final, and upon the final siren set about researching “retrofitting programs”. My first stop was the UK “Warm Front” program report that I had Googled at work. Two and a half weeks later I had clocked up four score hours in front of the computer, researching and writing my Jerrim application.