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Heat or Eat?: An empirical analysis of U.K. cold weather income support

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  • Beatty, Timothy K.M.
  • Blow, Laura
  • Crossley, Thomas

Abstract

We investigate whether households trade off spending on food and spending on heating. We use a large sample of households from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland over the period 1974-2007. We find evidence that low-income households reduce food expenditure during periods of colder than average weather. In contrast, wealthier households increase spending on food during colder than average weather. Further we investigate the efficacy of the Winter Fuel Payment, a social program designed to mitigate the effects of energy costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Beatty, Timothy K.M. & Blow, Laura & Crossley, Thomas, 2009. "Heat or Eat?: An empirical analysis of U.K. cold weather income support," 2009 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, 2009, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 51903, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea09:51903
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.51903
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bhattacharya, J. & DeLeire, T. & Haider, S. & Currie, J., 2003. "Heat or Eat? Cold-Weather Shocks and Nutrition in Poor American Families," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(7), pages 1149-1154.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumer/Household Economics; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Food Security and Poverty;
    All these keywords.

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