Fuel poverty (sometimes also called energy poverty outside of the UK) is the common term that describes households who cannot access essential energy services that ensure a basic standard of living and health. This includes heating, cooling, lightning, and other services that require gas, electricity, or other types of energy.
The health impacts of fuel poverty are profound, and include the exacerbation or creation of physical and mental health problems. Often, households are placed in impossible situations, forced to choose between heating their homes, feeding their children, or paying their rent.
Traditionally, the drivers of fuel poverty have been thought of as:
- Low household income, which restricts the ability of households to pay for the energy they need
- The energy (in)efficiency of the home, which shapes how much heat and power is needed to access adequate energy services
- Fuel prices, as higher prices of gas, electricity, and other forms of fuel (e.g. bottled gas, oil) are more difficult to afford.
These drivers are widely seen as dynamic and interacting, combining to shape the prevalence and experience of fuel poverty across the UK and Ireland. They are also shaped by energy practices and behaviours inside the home, which is recognised in the Scottish Government’s definition and understanding of fuel poverty.
