This paper provides an update on the All-Ireland Policy Paper on Fuel Poverty and Health published by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) in December 2007. Economic downturn and fluctuating fuel prices mean that for many people the challenge of fuel poverty is becoming even more immediate. 

Alleviating financial strain and protecting the health and social well-being of fuel-poor householders must remain a priority across government. A substantial body of research links fuel poverty to physical and mental ill-health. Older people in particular are at an increased risk of suffering from heart disease, stroke and respiratory conditions in the winter months. 

Research published in Northern Ireland this year has also highlighted the impact of fuel poverty on children’s health and well-being. This paper presents some of the significant developments on the island of Ireland in policy, research,economics and the activities of the statutory and community and voluntary sectors during the past year.