Fuel Poverty  

The BBC comments on the rise of fuel poverty (via BaloghBlog). The primary problem is heating housing, so I imagine the solution is for the British giovernment (and those of other cold countries) to strongly encourage the take up of insulation and other efficiency measures by homeowners and landlords (ie. don't try to solve the problem by subsidising fuel use, though this may be necessary in some limited circumstances, solve the cause of the problem).

The other area where higher fuel prices are going to hit hard is transport, and again, encouraging more efficient transportation, particularly by directing investment into public transport and mandating improved fuel efficiency levels for this, is the way to go.

In 1942, five great social evils were identified in a seminal report into poverty.

The evils were want, squalor, idleness, ignorance and disease.

It was powerful stuff: the report, which was written by the economist William Beveridge, helped bring about the post-war welfare state.

But it did little to eradicate fuel poverty.

Looking at modern Britain you could legitimately add fuel poverty to the original list. The rough and ready definition of fuel poverty is of someone who spends more than 10% of their income on keeping themselves warm.