Difficult for Britain's poor families to heat homesPoverty-stricken families in Britain can now set aside only 60 percent
of the money they require to properly heat their homes, a charity said
Tuesday.
It warned that low-income households are falling short
of the amount required for annual bills by almost 450 pounds ($711) a
year, the Sun reported.
The Barnardo's charity said families
need to spend an average of 1,165 pounds a year to "adequately" heat
their homes. But they can afford only 60 percent of that - around 723
pounds.
The "fuel gap" of 40 percent is more than double the 200 pounds shortfall recorded eight years ago.
The
charity said things were made worse by firms forcing customers who fall
behind with bills to use pre-payment metres - which cost even more.
Difficult for Britain's poor families to heat homes
