One in ten people in the EU freezes in winter

In 2023, 10.6 per cent of European Union residents said they could not adequately heat their homes. Compared to 2022, this figure has increased by 1.3 percentage points, highlighting the worsening situation in a context of rising energy prices and economic instability.

The problem is most acute in Spain and Portugal, where 20.8% of the population is unable to maintain a comfortable temperature in their homes. Bulgaria was almost at the same level - 20.7%. Lithuania (20.0%) and Greece (19.2%) are also among the countries with the highest rates.

This geographical bias is partly due to a combination of economic factors and climatic features. In southern European countries such as Spain and Portugal, traditionally warmer winters often result in homes that are poorly insulated, leaving them vulnerable during periods of extreme cold.

At the other end of the spectrum are Luxembourg (2.1 per cent), Finland (2.6 per cent), Slovenia (3.6 per cent), Austria (3.9 per cent) and Estonia (4.1 per cent). These countries show lower levels of energy poverty due to stable economies, effective social programmes and high quality of house construction.

The growing number of people unable to heat their homes is an indicator of the deteriorating socio-economic situation in Europe. The sharp rise in energy prices, especially in 2022-2023, has exacerbated the situation. It also raises environmental justice issues: switching to more expensive renewable energy sources takes time and significant investment, which is particularly hard on vulnerable groups.

These data underline the need for targeted support measures at EU level, such as energy subsidies and home insulation programmes. Without such action, the risk of social tensions will only increase, especially in regions that already face a high degree of energy poverty.