HUNDREDS of families face spending a brutally cold winter without any form of central heating with privately rented houses appearing to be the worst offenders, figures show.

Government statistics show that out of 28,671 households in Barrow there are 2,440 without any form of central heating.

Compared to other parts of Cumbria and the county-wide average of four per cent, 7.8 of homes in Barrow have no form of central heating.

In Millom, 4.4 per cent of homes - that's 236 houses, have no form of central heating. In Ulverston, there are 218 homes without heating, which represents 1.9 per cent of houses across the town.

With forecasters predicting Northern England is set to be battered by 11 storms between now and January, hundreds of families without any form of heating face a bleak winter.

Below we examine some of the headline statistics for each of the borough's 12 wards, ordered from the ward with the highest rate of homes without heating to the ward with the lowest rate.

In Barrow, which has over a quarter of Cumbria's 8,886 homes that have no form of heating, there are three distinct areas where families are struggling.

The hardest-hit area is Barrow Island where out of 1,465 households there are 378 without heating - that's 26 per cent.

Some 56 per cent of the population aged 16-74 work or are in full-time education while 12 per cent are retired.

Hindpool comes next, with 14 per cent of of homes (413 of 3,021) without any form of central heating. In Hindpool, 10 per cent are retired and 58 per cent work or are in full-time education.

In Central ward, 14 per cent of homes have no central heating (311 of 2,155), where 59 per cent of 16-74s work or are in full-time education and 9.4 per cent of people are retired.

Next is Parkside , where 7.2 per cent of homes (172 of 2,359) have no form of central heating. Ten per cent of the population is retired and 72 per cent work or are in full-time education.

Fifth from bottom is Walney South , where 173 or the 2,405 households have no heating (7.2 per cent). Some 66 per cent of those aged 16-74 work or are in full-time education and 14 per cent are retired.

Ormsgill comes next, where 6.7 per cent of homes (187 of 2,227) have no heating. Ten per cent of the population is retired and 64 per cent of 16-74s work or are in full-time education.

In the Dalton North ward, which includes Askam and Lindal, 6.2 per cent have no heating (158 of 2,553 households). Those aged 16-74 who work or are in full-time education make up 71 per cent of the population and 13.4 per cent are retired.

Dalton South comes next, where 5.8 per cent of households (150 of 2,745) have no heating. The population is made up of 68.5 per cent of 16-74 who work or are in full-time education and 14.5 per cent are retired.

Performing significantly better than its southern counterpart, Walney North has 4.7 per cent of homes (115 of 2,455) which have no form of central heating. Sixty per cent aged 16-74 work or are in full-time education and 17 per cent are retired.

The third best area for the fewest number of homes without central heating is Roosecote .

In Roosecote, where 60 per cent aged 16-74 work or are in full-time education and 14 per cent are retired, just 2.3 per cent of homes (48 of 2,050) have no central heating.

Pushed into second place by just 0.1 per cent is Newbarns , where 2.15 per cent of homes (48 of 2,227) have no form of central heating. In Newbarns, 67 per cent of those aged 16-74 work or are in full-time education and 13 per cent are retired.

The area of Hawcoat has the fewest number of homes without heating based on the population. Out of 2,216 households, just 45 (2.03 per cent) have no form of central heating.

In Hawcoat, 62 per cent of those aged 16-74 work or are in full-time education and 20 per cent of the population is retired.

What about other parts of Cumbria?

After Barrow, the next worst borough is Eden, with 4.1 per cent of homes (952) with no central heating; then South Lakeland with 3.9 per cent (1,838); then Allerdale with 3.1 per cent (1,313); Carlisle with three per cent (1,475); and Copeland with 2.8 per cent (868).

So why does Barrow have such a high number of homes without heating?

The wards in Barrow with the highest number of houses without central heating also have much higher numbers of people who rent a property from the private sector.

Comparing the worst three areas with the three best areas, while looking at the average across Barrow, seems to suggest a link.

Barrow Island has 37 per cent of residents renting privately; Central has 32 per cent of residents renting privately; and Hindpool has 29 per cent of residents renting privately. These wards have lower than average rates of houses owned outright or on a mortgage.

Excluding Hawcoat and Roosecote, where distorted low numbers of social housing affect the results, the next three wards show a link with private rented households.

In Newbarns 4.8 per cent of houses are privately rented; Walney North has seven per cent of houses privately rented and Dalton South has 9.7 per cent. These three wards also have higher numbers of houses owned outright or with a mortgage.

Furthermore, the link only appears to apply to properties rented from private landlords - the areas with fewer numbers of houses with no central heating do not have significantly lower numbers of social rented houses.

Reaction: Ray Guselli, private landlord and former county and borough councillor


"In this day and age there shouldn't be any properties without central heating," he said.

"All of the houses I rent out have central heating and with rented properties requiring energy performance certificates I can't see how other landlords are managing to rent a property out if it doesn't have heating.

"It's not something you would expect to see, that we should be seeing, in the 21st century.

"The one thing I can't come to terms with is there are schemes where people can apply for grants towards free boilers and heating systems. I would really like to know why these houses don't have central heating and if it's by choice, why not."

What help is available?

Winter Fuel Payment (for older residents)

If you were born on or before 5 August 1953 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills.

You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you’re eligible and you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).

If you’re eligible but don’t get paid automatically, you’ll need to make a claim.

Cold Weather Payment (for residents on certain benefits)

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below for seven consecutive days.

You’ll get a payment of £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.

If you receive Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit you might be eligible.

All recipients of Pension Credit will get the payment. You will usually be eligible for the payment if you receive one of the other benefits and have a child under five or a disabled child living with you.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Some energy providers are part of this scheme which takes £140 off your electricity bill for winter 2017 to 2018. Eligibility applies.

You’ll receive a letter by 30 November 2017 telling you how to get the discount if you qualify.

Your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by the end of March 2018.