Cost of living: Families bringing boarded-up fires back into use

Households are bringing boarded-up fires and stoves back into use to reduce their energy bills, chimney sweeps have said.

One West Yorkshire couple said they had reinstated an old stove, unused since they moved in.

Campaign group Fuel Poverty Action said people were "resorting to all sorts of measures" to stay warm.

Typical household energy bills are being capped by the government at £2,500 a year from 1 October.

Chimney sweeping firm owner Michelle Farrelly said she had seen an increase in people seeking help to return to solid fuel.

She said one in three inquiries now relate to reinstating boarded-up fires or stoves due to rising energy prices.

Mrs Farrelly said: "It's genuine panic. People are very concerned about how they are going to keep warm this winter. I have not known anything like it."

The former firefighter, who runs Holderness Chimney Sweep in East Yorkshire with husband Matthew, said people were "burning anything and everything".

She explained some wood, including material coated in chemicals such as creosote, is unsuitable for burning because it can give off toxic fumes.

The homeowner

Marie McHale, a compliance manager from Castleford, West Yorkshire, said she and her husband recently hired a chimney sweep.

She said: "We moved into the property in late 2018. We have decided to bring the stove back into use to cut down our gas central heating usage."

Ms McHale said she was deeply concerned about fuel hikes and rising inflation hitting weekly grocery bills.

"It's pretty dreadful," she said.

Weighing up the cost of smokeless fuel and wood chips against the price of gas and electricity, Ms McHale is confident they will make a saving.

She said: "At the moment, our gas and electric bill is £456 per month but we worked out we'd be paying about £800 per month this winter.

"By using the multi-fuel stove we can warm up pretty much the whole of the downstairs, reducing the amount we pay for gas."

Nick Hannam, owner of Wakefield-based Cosysweep, reported a similar picture.

He said: "I am getting lots of phone calls.

"Before, fires and stoves were decorative. Now people are bringing them back into use because of the high cost of gas."

Alex Leonard, owner of Hull-based Leonards and Airlievac, said: "We are taking bookings a month in advance with people saying they are opening up, and using, fires again.

"They are doing so because of the high cost of gas. A lot of people are going on to solid fuel to save money on gas."

He urged people to hire a National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS) member to carry out checks bringing fires and stoves back into use.

"It's possible that a cap has been put on the chimney," he said. "You could have a bird nest or a dead bird in the flue."

A spokeswoman for campaign group Fuel Poverty Action added alternatives to switching on central heating "should be unnecessary".

The government has confirmed households will be given a one-off £400 discount on their fuel bills from October.

In addition, £650 will be paid to more than eight million low-income households who receive many benefits or tax credits.

Further payments of £300 to pensioner households and £150 to disabled people will also go ahead.

Vulnerable families can also claim help through the Household Support Fund, the Warm Home Discount scheme, and hardship funds run by energy companies.

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