Fuel poverty

The estimated number equals about one in nine of the total properties in the urban area.

The figures were revealed by Arun District Council's leader, Cllr Gill Brown, in response to a question from Bersted councillor Simon McDougall.

Fuel poverty is seen where a household spends more than 10pc of its disposable income on keeping warm.

Cllr Mrs Brown said it was believed the level of fuel poverty in the district had recently decreased but the latest large rises in heating bills were likely to reverse that.