A household is considered to experience fuel poverty when the cost of fuel to adequately heat the home is more than 10% of the household income. When heating costs are too high, homes cannot be adequately heated, which leads to poorer quality of life and poorer health.
Cold, damp houses are associated with respiratory illnesses, many of which are caused by mould. More vulnerable members of the population are at greater risk of experiencing adverse health effects as a consequence of inadequate home heating. It is estimated that between 22,000 and 30,000 households in Christchurch suffer from fuel poverty.
Read the full issue summary for fuel poverty and home heating [PDF] - last updated April 2013.