The persistence of energy poverty in the EU : socioeconomic insights into EU's long-term energy poverty

This report offers a comprehensive analysis of the persistence of energy poverty in the European Union (EU). The primary objective is to analyse the duration and magnitude of energy poverty over time and to identify the socioeconomic and demographic factors contributing to this persistence. Employing longitudinal data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), the study uses multilevel, mixed effects regression models to assess the impact of individual-level factors such as sex, age, and household size changes. It also examines macro-level variables like social protection expenditure and energy intensity per dwelling. The research highlights the significant proportion of the EU population that experiences energy poverty persistently and uncovers pronounced differences across Member States, with certain countries exhibiting higher rates of longstanding energy poverty. The report acknowledges data limitations, such as missing information for specific countries and years, which restricted the analysis of expenditure-based indicators and certain socio-demographic characteristics. Despite these constraints, the study provides valuable insights into the persistency of energy poverty across the EU, supporting the need for standardised energy poverty indicators that integrate expenditure data. The findings underscore the importance of integrated policy interventions and further research to address this enduring social challenge.