THE RISING energy levels faced by millions of people has been described as a catastrophic energy disaster by the climate charity Friends of the Earth.
Their recent analysis suggests many areas across Wiltshire will be some of the worst affected by the energy crisis once the price cap increases in October.
A spokesperson for Friends of the Earth said: “There is "no downplaying" the catastrophic energy disaster facing millions of people this winter if bills rise as expected without Government intervention.”
The new research reveals 38 out of 285 neighbourhoods in Wiltshire are at great risk of financial hardship when the price cap rises. 4,950 homes require cavity wall insulation and 5, 440 need loft insulation.
Mr Childs - head of science at Friends of the Earth said: “Houses across the country must be more effectively insulated to protect consumers against future price rises and reduce the amount of energy required to heat homes in winter.
"The highest priority of all is fixing the UK’s leaky, inefficient housing stock, otherwise cash handouts will be required year on year.
"By rolling out a free programme of street-by-street energy efficiency measures and prioritising the most in-need neighbourhoods, we can help to bring bills down quickly, make homes warmer and slash Earth-warming emissions at the same time."
Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council said; “Retrofitting existing housing stock is going to be a significant national challenge over the coming years, not to mention the fact that under current building regulations, houses being built right now will need expensive retrofits in the near future.
“Wiltshire Council is retrofitting the housing we own (our council housing) to an EPC B rating over the next 10 years, leading the way in the United Kingdom. We have run the Solar Together scheme to help private owners generate renewable energy on their own properties.”
As part of their research, Friends of the Earth analysed smart meters and unmetered fuel consumption to determine where energy is above normal levels and on a national level, almost 9,000 areas have been classed as energy crisis hotspots.
Their findings indicate that thirteen per cent of Wiltshire communities will be among the worst impacted across England and Wales.
Cllr Clewer added: “The impact of rising fuel prices is a really serious issue for many of our residents. Whilst this is fundamentally a national issue and beyond the scope of Wiltshire Council to resolve, we do work in partnership with both Swindon Borough Council and the Centre for Sustainable Energy to provide an energy advice service called Warm and Safe Wiltshire.
“Warm and Safe Wiltshire acts as a single point of contact for energy advice with the aim of reducing fuel poverty in Wiltshire. The service provides a varied holistic support service to people in fuel poverty who need support with their energy bills and keeping their home warm.
"Advisors offer home visits and ongoing case work to those in need of support. The service has access to funding for heating and insulation for some clients through third party funds depending upon eligibility. We will continue to push for every opportunity to access more government funding to improve insulation and energy efficiency.”
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