Fuel poverty is real

I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to speak on Manx Radio yesterday, 09 November 2021, about some of the work the Manx Benevolent Fund has been doing, particularly over the past year.

One of the main areas of assistance we currently seem to be dealing with, is fuel poverty. It is particularly concerning, at a time when we are coming into the winter months, that there is a significant portion of our population who are still having to make the ‘eat or heat’ decision on a daily basis.

Under the new  ‘Low Income High Costs’ indicator used by the Isle of Man Government, fuel poverty was in a 2020 report calculated to have affected 9.3% of households in 2018. Under the old 10% indicator this number rises to 15.8%; a very small decrease from figures recorded five years prior, and a number which I fear may have now increased in reality, given the massive impact of the Covid pandemic.

One of the problems we appear to face on the Isle of Man, is that unlike in some main UK cities for example, our issues surrounding poverty are not overtly visible, yet there are people facing real and daily struggles, simply to meet basic needs. It is vital in such circumstances to not plead ignorance to the struggles faced by people every single day, and instead, to join together in helping those less fortunate than ourselves, who often through no fault of their own, find themselves in the depths of despair. By doing so, we nurture the community which we are all a part of, and which we should all strive to see succeed for the benefit of everyone who calls this Island their home.

To hear the full interview which covers various other aspects of our work, skip to the 17 minute mark on this link. A feature article is available here.