The Leeds Affordable Warmth Strategy 2007-2016
A warm dry home is a basic requirement of life. However, far too many homes are poorly insulated and have expensive and inefficient heating systems. Coupled with low incomes, this leads to the problem of fuel poverty. Leeds has established a national reputation for action in tackling this problem.
The lack of affordable warmth is known as ‘fuel poverty’. Affordable warmth is the ability to achieve sufficient warmth within the home. A fuel poor household is one that cannot afford to keep adequately warm at reasonable cost. The most widely accepted definition is 'a household that needs to spend more than 10% of income to heat the home to an adequate standard' i.e. to a level of warmth consistent with maintaining health and well-being that is; 21°C degrees centigrade in the main living areas and 18°C in other areas of the home.
However, in 2009, based on the latest figures, it is estimated that 22% of private sector Leeds households are in fuel poverty with a slightly lower proportion understood to be suffering this form of deprivation in public sector housing.
The Affordable Warmth Strategy for Leeds sets out a co-ordinated approach to address the problems of cold, damp homes. This strategy was developed in 2006 with local partners and is the result of consultation with a wide range of service providers and interested groups.
The successful implementation of this strategy will increase the quality of life for the residents of Leeds by improving the health, social and financial well being of some of the most vulnerable people in the community.
Organisations can elect to sign up to any or all elements of the code dependent upon their operational structure. A copy of the Code of Practice registration form can be downloaded from this page.