Welcome to the latest fuel poverty newsletter from the Rural Vulnerability Service - brought to you by the Rural Services Network and the Rural England CIC in association with Calor.

Limited options for fuel in rural localities – many of which lack mains gas – make efficient fuel use and insulation particularly important for countryside communities.

In addition, rural residents face the challenges of lower average wages, an ageing population and single-skin, solid wall or non-cavity wall properties.

The Rural Services Network believes the national picture must not mask this extra rural dimension.

Latest updates:

Support for fuel poor households to be removed

27 May 2018
Vulnerable, low income households will no longer receive financial support from the government to repair their broken down boiler if new plans go ahead. (Horncastle News)

Housing association to help tackle fuel poverty

8 May 2018
A housing association has received a boost in its bid to tackle fuel poverty in North Yorkshire, after securing funding of almost £1m to install new heating systems in hundreds of its homes. (Northern Echo)

Government plans 'could increase fuel poverty'

2 May 2018
Plans to help combat fuel poverty will unfairly penalise who use oil to heat their home, says the oil heating industry. (Chester Chronicle)

Housing provider unveils first modular homes

16 May 2018
An affordable homes provider is today (Wednesday, May 16) set to unveil its first ever modular homes for sale at a site in Newmarket. (EADT)

Families face paying £400m more for fuel

28 May 2018
Families across Britain are facing paying an extra £400m in energy bills as prices rocket at major providers. (Mail Online)

Labour pledges £2.3bn for home insulation

2 May 2018
Labour has pledged to spend more than £2 billion a year on rolling out whole street home energy efficiency upgrade schemes. (Utility Week)

Work needs to be done to tackle winter deaths

14 May 2018
Winter deaths associated with cold homes and fuel poverty need to be tackled by health and council partners in Northumberland. (Northumberland Gazette)

Wales awards £55m Warm Homes contract

15 May 2018
The Welsh Government has agreed a £55m contract to upgrade 6,000 homes as part of its Warm Homes programme. (Inside Housing)

Eden Project could use hot rocks for energy

1 May 2018
Cornwall Council could provide £1.4million towards an Eden Project scheme aiming to use hot rocks to generate energy. (Pirate FM)

Reduce tax to make homes energy efficient

14 May 2018
Age Scotland has said that those who embrace energy efficiency should pay less council tax. (Third Force News)

Council invests £6.7m in own energy firm

27 April 2018
A council says it has increased investment in its own energy firm by £6.7m since November. (BBC Online)

Households at risk under new fuel scheme

1 May 2018
NEW government plans to help combat fuel poverty will unfairly penalise the 36,000 households in Wiltshire who use oil to heat their home. (Swindon Advertiser)

Give us support to provide warm homes

10 May 2018
Housing associations in Scotland have a great track record on energy efficiency, but must be supported to do more, writes Sally Thomas. (Inside Housing)

Sessions to help ease fuel poverty

17 May 2018
People and organisations in Somerset will be able to get advice on their energy and how to manage it. (Weston Mercury)

Funding to tackle household fuel poverty

2 May 2018
Government funding of more than £54m is to go towards tackling fuel poverty in Scotland, the first minister has said. (BBC Online)

Homes fund helps people with mental ill-health

21 May 2018
A scheme to help people who couldn’t afford to keep warm at home has made a positive impact for those with mental health illnesses. (Charity Today)