• The increase in poverty, the poor thermal quality of millions of homes and the increase in energy costs and rents are the causes of fuel poverty.

  • In reaction to this scourge, 19 associations or organizations involved in the fight against exclusion or global warming will initiate the first national day to raise awareness of energy poverty, on November 10.

  • One way of emphasizing this highly sensitive subject which will prevail in the electoral campaign.

Six months before the presidential election, energy prices are more than ever a sensitive subject for the executive. Because the social history of France remembers it: it is the rise in fuel prices that was the trigger for the movement of "yellow vests" at the end of 2018. However, since the beginning of the year, regulated prices gas prices rose 57% and the price of electricity will grow 4% in February. A surge in energy prices mentioned this Thursday by 19 associations or organizations involved in the fight against exclusion or global warming, which will initiate the first national day of awareness of energy poverty, on November 10, 2021.

Because it is a fact: more and more French people have difficulty in properly heating their homes.

“Today, 5.6 million households are in a situation of fuel poverty.

This represents 20% of households and 12 million people affected ”, informs Christophe Robert, general delegate of the Abbé-Pierre Foundation.

And some cases are really critical: according to the Energy Mediator, 671,546 households underwent the intervention of a supplier (suspensions, power reduction) in 2019 as a result of unpaid bills.

These unpaid bills have also increased by 17% compared to 2018. And 280,000 power cuts were made in 2019. The figures for 2020 are not meaningful because of the coronavirus crisis and the one-off measures taken in the field by the government.

Health consequences

This worsening of the scourge, Christophe Robert explains it easily: "There is an increase in the precariousness of financial resources among some French people, an increase in energy costs and poor thermal quality of many homes". According to Vincent Legrand, general manager of the energy renovation company Dorémi, the other concern is that “owner households often carry out energy renovation work. However, 75% of these works do not allow to change the energy class. For them to be effective, we must change the joinery, ventilation, insulate the walls… ”. This corresponds to a budget that many French people do not have.

This fuel poverty has many repercussions in the lives of those who suffer from it: “It can lead to an increase in chronic diseases and social isolation.

Because we are not ashamed to invite friends home in cold accommodation, ”continues Christophe Robert.

And its ecological cost is also very important, as pointed out by Anne Bringault, program coordinator at the Climate Action Network: “20% of greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings.

The fact of not insulating the homes well means that the reduction in greenhouse gases is not sufficient ”.

Aid does exist

What is most astonishing is the fact that the public authorities have not stood idly by: an energy check of 148 euros is paid each year, subject to means-tested, to 5.8 million low-income households. Other aid can also be issued by communal social action centers, pension funds or family allowances, as well as by the Housing Solidarity Fund (FSL) piloted by the departments. Variable support depending on the territory. Another possible aid: MaPrimeRénov ', which is intended to finance energy renovation work in housing.

Prime Minister Jean Castex also announced in October a “middle class allowance” of 100 euros for 38 million French people earning less than 2,000 euros net per month.

Gas prices have also been frozen until the end of 2022, while the next electricity price hike, in February, will be, as has been said, limited to 4%.

Fighting against non-recourse to aid, a challenge

But it is clear that this is insufficient. "We need a more offensive policy in this area and provide emergency aid to allow households to pay their bills," insists Christophe Robert. An opinion shared by the secretary general of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, who considers it necessary to "further increase" the energy check and "extend" it to more beneficiaries. As for the CGT, it suggests “immediately lowering the VAT from 20% to 5.5% on electricity”.

But it's not all a question of resources, but also of communication: “It's difficult to find one's way in the jungle of aid. And some, like MaPrimeRenov ', can only be requested on the Internet, while the digital divide is very real in France, ”notes Jean-Pierre Goudard, co-president of the CLER-Réseau for energy transition. A finding that matches that of a recent study * by researchers from the University of Grenoble-Alpes, which showed that 78% of those questioned did not know about financial aid for thermal renovation (tax credit, Renov 'premium) and 38% ignore those to reduce energy costs (Housing Solidarity Fund, energy check). In addition, the Court of Auditors showed that in 2019, 25% of households that received the energy check had not used it.Hence the importance of improving knowledge of aid. "We need a simplification of this aid and support the most precarious households so that they take it," said Christophe Robert. Suggestions that the 19 organizations intend to present to the presidential candidates ...

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* Study conducted by Antoine Rode, Rania El Fahli and Héléna Revil in the agglomeration of Roanne (Loire), from March to July 2020.

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  • Poverty