About the Fuel Poverty Risk Mapper

What is fuel poverty?

A household is considered to be in fuel poverty if it has required fuel costs that are above the national median level and, if it were to spend that amount, it would be left with a residual income below the official poverty line. This is known as the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator.

Data Sources

ONS Postcode Directory — Maps full postcodes to LSOA codes
Last imported: 4 Feb 2026
ONS LSOA Boundaries — Lower Super Output Area reference data
Last imported: 4 Feb 2026
IMD 2025 — Index of Multiple Deprivation from MHCLG
Last imported: 5 Feb 2026 (697 records)
EPC Register — Energy Performance Certificates
Last imported: 5 Feb 2026 (38,505 certificates)
DESNZ Sub-national Energy — Gas and electricity consumption by LSOA
Not yet imported

Risk Score Methodology

The InsideStaffordshire Deprivation Score (ISDS) combines 11 indicators, each normalised to a 0–100 scale and weighted according to their relevance to fuel poverty risk. The weighted scores are summed to produce an overall score between 0 (lowest risk) and 100 (highest risk).

Component	Weight
EPC Rating (E/F/G %) EPC Register The percentage of properties in the LSOA with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of E, F or G — the three worst efficiency bands. Uses the raw percentage directly as the score (0–100).	18%
Income Deprivation IMD — Income domain Measures the proportion of the population experiencing deprivation relating to low income, including both out-of-work and low-income working families. Converted from decile: score = (11 − decile) × 10.	18%
Energy Consumption EPC Register Average domestic energy consumption per property in the LSOA, percentile-ranked across all Staffordshire LSOAs. Higher consumption suggests less efficient homes or greater heating demand.	11%
Off-Gas Properties EPC Register The percentage of properties without a mains gas connection. Off-gas homes typically rely on more expensive fuels such as oil, LPG or electric heating, increasing fuel poverty risk. Uses the raw percentage directly.	11%
Energy Cost Burden DESNZ Sub-national Energy + Ofgem Price Cap Estimated annual household energy cost (gas + electricity at current Ofgem price cap rates), amplified by income deprivation. The burden index = estimated annual cost × (1 + income factor), where the income factor is derived from the IMD income decile. Areas with high energy costs AND low incomes score highest — directly modelling fuel poverty. Percentile-ranked across all Staffordshire LSOAs. LSOAs without DESNZ energy data score 0.	10%
Property Age EPC Register Average construction year of properties, percentile-ranked across Staffordshire. Older housing stock tends to have poorer insulation, single glazing and less efficient heating systems.	7%
Crime IMD — Crime domain Measures the risk of personal and material victimisation at a local level, including violence, burglary, theft and criminal damage. Converted from decile: score = (11 − decile) × 10.	7%
Health Deprivation & Disability IMD — Health domain Measures the risk of premature death and the impairment of quality of life through poor physical or mental health. Cold homes are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Converted from decile.	5%
Education, Skills & Training IMD — Education domain Captures the lack of attainment and skills in the local population, covering both children and young people (e.g. Key Stage results, staying on rates) and adult qualifications. Converted from decile.	5%
IDACI (Children) IMD — supplementary index Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index. Measures the proportion of children aged 0–15 living in income-deprived families. Children in fuel-poor households face heightened health and educational risks. Converted from decile.	4%
IDAOPI (Older People) IMD — supplementary index Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index. Measures the proportion of adults aged 60 and over living in income-deprived households. Older residents are particularly vulnerable to cold homes. Converted from decile.	4%

How scores are calculated

Each component produces a score between 0 and 100. The method depends on the data source:

IMD decile-based (Income, Crime, Health, Education, IDACI, IDAOPI): score = (11 − decile) × 10. Decile 1 (most deprived nationally) gives a score of 100; decile 10 gives 10.
Direct percentage (EPC, Off-gas): the raw percentage is used as the score.
Percentile-ranked (Energy Consumption, Property Age): values are ranked across all Staffordshire LSOAs and converted to a 0–100 percentile. For property age, older buildings score higher.
Energy Cost Burden: estimated annual cost = (avg gas kWh × gas unit rate) + (avg elec kWh × elec unit rate) + annual standing charges. This is then multiplied by (1 + income factor), where income factor = (11 − income decile) / 10. The resulting burden index is percentile-ranked across Staffordshire. LSOAs without DESNZ energy data score 0.

The overall score is the weighted sum of all component scores. This is then assigned to a risk band.

Energy Price Cap Rates

The Energy Cost Burden component uses Ofgem energy price cap rates to estimate annual household energy costs from DESNZ metered consumption data. These rates should be updated each quarter when Ofgem announces new price caps.

Rate	Value
Gas unit rate	7.17p/kWh
Electricity unit rate	24.5p/kWh
Gas standing charge	31.65p/day
Electricity standing charge	53.56p/day
Price cap period	Q4 2025

Risk Bands

Band	Score Threshold
Very High	≥ 70
High	≥ 55
Medium	≥ 40
Low	≥ 25
Very Low	≥ 0

Coverage

This tool covers all nine local authorities within Staffordshire, plus the Stoke-on-Trent unitary authority:

Stoke-on-Trent (Unitary)
Cannock Chase (District)
East Staffordshire (District)
Lichfield (District)
Newcastle-under-Lyme (District)
South Staffordshire (District)
Stafford (District)
Staffordshire Moorlands (District)
Tamworth (District)