In the second quarter of 2022, about nine percent of all households in Austria were unable to adequately heat their homes due to rising heating costs. But even before the war in Ukraine, heating costs were unaffordable for two percent of households.
This has emerged from an investigation by the statistical authority on behalf of the supervisory authority E-Control. In concrete terms, in 2021, some 81,000 households were unable to keep their homes sufficiently warm. This was 3.3 percent for single-person households and for tenants. 5.7 percent of people with at most a college degree were affected.
Corona crisis not to blame for energy poverty
“The Corona crisis has not led to an increase in energy poverty,” emphasizes E-Control boss Wolfgang Urbantschitsch in a broadcast. “However, it is to be feared that this will change due to the current energy crisis.” The share of affected households already rose to 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2021. Two quarters later that was 9.2 percent.
Figures from 2020 also showed that households at risk of poverty (income less than 60 percent of the average income) often had to bear above-average energy costs (more than 140 percent). Two years ago, 123,800 or 3.2 percent of all households were affected.
„Electricity price only inhibits short-term measures”
“Electricity price brakes and other current support services are essential, but only short-term measures to ensure affordable energy consumption for energy-poor households in the energy crisis,” says Urbantschitsch with a view to possible countermeasures. Information on energy conservation should be expanded with national advisory services and a helping hand in implementing efficiency measures.
Source: Krone
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