Analysis shows 61 out of 211 neighbourhoods in Barnet are at greatest risk of financial hardship when the price cap rises in October
By Andrew Dowdeswell, Data Reporter

Nationally, nearly 9,000 areas have been classed as “energy crisis hotspots”

Dozens of neighbourhoods in Barnet are set to be worst impacted by the energy crisis when the price cap rises in October, new analysis suggests.

Climate charity 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.

Analysis by Friends of the Earth shows 61 out of 211 neighbourhoods in Barnet are at greatest risk of financial hardship when the price cap rises in October.

It means 29% of neighbourhoods in the area are among the worst impacted across England and Wales.

Nationally, nearly 9,000 areas have been classed as “energy crisis hotspots”.

Friends of the Earth analysed smart meters and unmetered fuel consumption to determine areas where energy use is above normal levels.

It says neighbourhoods with above-average costs and lower than average household income are defined as energy crisis hotspots.

Cornwall Insights predicts that after the price cap has risen in October, an average household will pay bills of more than £3,600 per year, significantly more than double the £1,400 figure last October.

From January, this is predicted to further increase to £4,300 and the consultancy group expects bills to remain high throughout 2023.

Energy regulator Ofgem is due to announce the new price cap – which will come into effect at the start of October – on Friday, August 26.

Friends of the Earth has urged the Government to provide meaningful intervention before the autumn price cap rise instead of the “woeful and poorly targeted cash handouts” announced in April.

Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at the charity, said the government must “beef up its package of emergency financial support” and protect the most vulnerable to soaring price rises.

He also 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,” he added.

“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.”

In Barnet, 8,670 homes require cavity wall insulation and 8,380 need loft insulation.

Nationally, they are among 1.2 million and 1.3 million homes needing these improvements respectively.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said it is providing £37 billion worth of support to help households during the cost-of-living crisis.

A BEIS spokesperson said: “We are investing £6.6 billion in this parliament to improve energy efficiency as part of the Government’s ‘Help to Heat’ programme, which is helping make households across the country cheaper to heat.”

To receive a weekly update from Barnet Post, sign-up to receive our email newsletter.

To support local journalism, become a Barnet Post member.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.