OFTEC (the Oil Firing Technical Association) has formerly responded to DECC’s consultation on fuel poverty, outlining its recommendations to help Britain’s 800,000 oil using households, of which approximately 100,000 are fuel poor.

Actions suggested by OFTEC include upgrading insulation in these properties to band C or better and replacing the many thousands of standard efficiency boilers still in use with modern condensing models. This simple and affordable step can save up to 20% on fuel bills and also reduce carbon emissions.

With latest government figures showing that 2.28 million British households currently live in fuel poverty OFTEC is also once again joining forces with Age UK and the Energy Bill Revolution (EBR) this winter to help raise further awareness of the growing problem.

The issue is starkly highlighted by the 29% increase in the number of excess winter deaths recorded in the latest Government statistics for 2012-13, rising to more than 31,000. More than 90% of these were older people with a major contributing factor cited as the need to choose between heating and eating because of high energy bills.

Last year OFTEC wrote to local MPs urging them to back the EBR’s campaign and in February attended a parliamentary reception to highlight the fuel poverty issue.

OFTEC director general Jeremy Hawksley said: “With projections showing that the fuel poverty problem is only set to get worse, this is an urgent issue which needs to be tackled now. Many of the properties with the worst Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings are older, rural properties, many of which run on oil.

“An upgrade to a modern condensing oil boiler would help these people enormously, particularly as oil continues to be the only primary heating fuel which has fallen in price over the past three years, making it by far the cheapest option for off gas grid homes – currently some 60% cheaper than LPG.'

EBR will be highlighting the issue during Cold Homes Week (3-7 February 2015) when campaign partners, including OFTEC, will join forces and call on the Government to launch a much more ambitious home energy efficiency programme to make all UK homes super energy efficient, with priority given to the fuel poor.