Summer fuel poverty report

National Energy Action has published a new report drawing on evidence from our Lived Experience Library, alongside client data and case studies, to explore how fuel poverty is experienced during the summer months. It provides a clear and consistent picture: summer does not offer respite for households in fuel poverty. Instead, it exposes the structural nature of the issue, shaped by low incomes, ongoing debt, poor housing conditions, and health-related needs. 

While heating demand may decline, households continue to face unaffordable energy costs. Standing charges, debt repayments, and the need to power essential appliances mean that bills remain high relative to income. At the same time, challenges such as poor ventilation, overheating, and the cost of staying cool are becoming increasingly significant, particularly in energy-inefficient homes. 

The findings presented in this report demonstrate that fuel poverty is not driven solely by seasonal demand, but by broader and more enduring inequalities. It is experienced through ongoing financial pressure, difficult trade-offs between essential needs, and reduced quality of life. For many households, energy use is not discretionary but essential to maintaining health, safety, and wellbeing. 

By highlighting these experiences, this report aims to reframe understanding of fuel poverty as a year-round, structural issue. It calls for policy and practice to reflect this reality, recognising that effective support must extend beyond the winter months to address the underlying drivers of energy unaffordability. 

Read the full report.