Fuel Poverty Scenario Modelling based on Ofgem Energy Price Caps - up to January to March 2026


Annex A

 

Table 3: Fuel poverty levels (000s) by rural urban classification                               

Urban/Rural Classification

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Large urban areas

272

317

300

280

270

290

290

300

290

290

290

Other urban areas

246

300

300

280

270

290

290

300

290

290

290

Accessible small towns

88

69

70

60

50

60

60

70

60

60

60

Remote small towns

27

29

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

Urban Subtotal

633

715

710

660

620

680

680

710

670

690

690

Accessible rural

84

85

80

70

70

80

70

80

70

70

70

Remote rural

63

61

70

60

60

60

60

70

60

60

60

Rural Subtotal

147

146

150

140

130

140

140

140

140

140

140

All

780

861

850

800

760

820

820

850

810

830

830

 

Table 4: Fuel poverty rates by rural urban classification

Urban/Rural Classification

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Large urban areas

31

33

33

32

30

32

32

34

32

33

33

Other urban areas

28

35

34

32

30

33

33

34

32

33

33

Accessible small towns

34

32

30

25

23

28

27

31

27

28

28

Remote small towns

34

41

43

40

38

41

41

42

41

41

41

Urban Subtotal

30

34

34

31

29

32

32

34

32

32

33

Accessible rural

30

31

29

27

26

28

28

28

28

28

28

Remote rural

47

44

44

43

42

43

43

43

43

43

43

Rural Subtotal

47

35

36

33

31

33

33

33

33

33

33

All

31

34

34

32

30

32

32

34

32

33

33

 

Table 5: Extreme fuel poverty levels (000's) by rural urban classification

Urban/Rural Classification

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Large urban areas

142

173

160

140

130

140

140

150

140

140

150

Other urban areas

140

160

150

130

120

140

140

150

140

140

140

Accessible small towns

61

40

40

30

30

30

30

40

30

30

30

Remote small towns

17

15

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

Urban Subtotal

361

389

380

320

290

330

330

360

330

330

340

Accessible rural

54

61

60

50

40

50

50

50

50

50

50

Remote rural

50

41

40

40

30

40

40

40

40

40

40

Rural Subtotal

104

103

100

90

70

90

90

90

90

90

90

All

465

491

480

410

370

420

420

460

410

420

430

 

Table 6: Extreme fuel poverty rates by rural urban classification

Urban/Rural Classification

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Large urban areas

16

18

18

15

14

16

16

17

16

16

16

Other urban areas

16

19

17

15

14

15

15

17

15

15

16

Accessible small towns

25

19

18

13

12

14

13

17

13

14

14

Remote small towns

23

21

22

19

17

21

21

21

21

21

21

Urban Subtotal

17

18

18

15

14

16

16

17

15

16

16

Accessible rural

20

23

21

18

15

18

18

19

18

18

18

Remote rural

35

30

29

24

22

25

25

27

25

25

26

Rural Subtotal

25

25

24

21

17

21

21

22

20

21

21

All

19

19

19

16

15

16

16

18

16

17

17

 

Table 7: Fuel poverty levels (000s) by household tenure

Tenure

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Owned outright

278

241

240

230

220

240

230

240

230

240

240

Mortgaged

89

94

90

80

70

80

90

90

80

90

90

Owner Occupied Subtotal

367

336

330

310

290

320

320

330

310

320

320

LA

175

228

230

210

200

220

220

230

220

220

220

HA

114

165

160

160

150

160

160

170

160

160

160

Social Rented Subtotal

289

393

390

370

350

380

380

400

370

380

380

Private Rented

124

132

130

120

120

120

120

130

120

120

120

All

780

861

850

800

760

820

820

850

810

830

830

 

Table 8: Fuel poverty rates by household tenure

Tenure

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Owned outright

28

25

25

24

23

25

24

25

24

25

25

Mortgaged

14

15

14

13

12

13

13

14

13

14

14

Owner Occupied Subtotal

22

21

21

20

18

20

20

21

20

20

20

LA

48

61

61

57

53

58

58

61

58

59

59

HA

47

60

60

57

54

58

59

61

58

59

59

Social Rented Subtotal

48

61

60

57

54

59

59

61

58

59

59

Private Rented

44

44

43

41

39

41

41

43

41

41

41

All

31

34

34

32

30

32

32

34

32

33

33

 

Table 9: Extreme fuel poverty levels (000's) by household tenure

Tenure

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Owned outright

190

169

160

140

120

140

140

160

140

140

140

Mortgaged

44

42

40

30

30

30

30

40

30

30

30

Owner Occupied Subtotal

234

211

200

170

150

180

170

190

170

180

180

LA

92

123

120

100

100

110

110

120

110

110

110

HA

66

82

80

70

60

70

70

80

70

70

80

Social Rented Subtotal

157

205

200

180

160

180

180

200

180

180

180

Private Rented

74

75

70

60

50

60

60

70

60

60

60

All

465

491

480

410

370

420

420

460

410

420

430

 

Table 10: Extreme fuel poverty rates by household tenure

Tenure

2022 SHCS

2023 SHCS

Jan to Mar 24

Apr to Jun 24

Jul to Sep 24

Oct to Dec 24

Jan to Mar 25

Apr to Jun 25

Jul to Sep 25

Oct to Dec 25

Jan to Mar 26

Owned outright

19

18

17

15

13

15

15

17

15

15

15

Mortgaged

7

7

6

5

5

5

5

6

5

5

5

Owner Occupied Subtotal

14

13

13

11

9

11

11

12

11

11

11

LA

25

33

32

28

26

29

29

31

29

29

29

HA

27

30

30

27

23

27

26

30

26

26

28

Social Rented Subtotal

26

32

31

28

25

28

28

30

27

28

28

Private Rented

26

25

25

19

17

20

20

22

20

20

21

All

19

19

19

16

15

16

16

18

16

17

17

 

Table 11: Summary of the support for households (mitigations) included in the October 2022 to March 2023 and April to June 2024 scenarios

Mitigation

Included in scenarios for Oct 2022 to Mar 2023

Included in scenarios for April 2023 to Mar 2024

Included in scenarios for Apr 2024 to Dec 2024

Included in scenarios forJan 2025 to present

Eligibility

Energy Bills Support Scheme

Yes (£400)

No

No

No

Universal and received by all households in 2022/23. Not continued in 2023/24.

Alternative Fuel Payments

Yes (£200)

No

No

No

Received by all households using fuels other than gas or electricity to heat their homes in 2022/23. Not continued in 2023/24.

Cost of living payment for households on means tested benefits

Yes (£650)

Yes (£900)

No

No

Received by households on means tested benefits in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Note: the amount will increase to £900 in 2023/24 up from £650 in 2022/23.

Cost of living payment for pensioners

Yes (£300)

Yes (£300)

No

No

Received by pensioner households in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Note: the eligibility criteria changed to become universal in 2023/24, i.e. it will be received by all pensioner households, whereas in 2022/23 it was only received by pensioner households in receipt of the Cold Weather Payment.

Cost of living payment for people on disability benefits

Yes (£150)

Yes (£150)

No

No

Received by people on disability benefits in 2022/23 and 2023/24.

The Scottish Government’s Cost of Living Award

Yes (£150)

No

No

No

This £150 Council Tax rebate was received in 2022/23 by households in Council Tax bands A-D or in receipt of Council Tax Reduction benefit. Not continued in 2023/24.

Winter Fuel Payment / Pension Age Winter Heating Payment

Yes (universal £300)

Yes (universal £300) until December 2023 then based on receipt of means tested benefits either £300, £200, or £100 for eligible households

Yes based on receipt of means tested benefits either £300, £200, or £100 for eligible households

Yes (means-tested)

Either £305.10 or £203.40 for eligible households.

The WFP was universal to all pensioner households until 23/24 when it became means tested based on receipt of certain benefits. The criteria remains means tested for 2025/2026 however the criteria has again changed. See Changes to Winter Fuel Payment eligibility rules for a description of the eligibility criteria for 2024/2025 and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment for the 2025/2026 criteria

 

 

 

Back to top