The observation is clear, hammered by the associative actors. Acting against fuel poverty requires a better knowledge of the aids that exist to improve the quality of housing and pay the bills, insists a university study published by the Observatory of non-use of rights and services (Odenore).
While the surge in energy prices weighs on households, researchers Antoine Rode, Rania El Fahli and Héléna Revil from the University of Grenoble-Alpes have looked into the effects of energy poverty in the agglomeration of Roanne (Loire).
This exploratory study, Observe fuel poverty, was carried out from March to July 2020 in this agglomeration of forty municipalities and 100,000 inhabitants, where the poverty rate (14.7%) is within the national average and where 37% of housing dates from before 1970.
a “Energy poverty barometer” was established, distinguishing two forms of precariousness: the first linked to the thermal conditions of the housing, the second to the energy charges weighing on the household budget. Thus, 29% of respondents have felt cold in their home over the past twelve months and 31% have had difficulty paying their energy bills over the same period.
The study notes that 35% of households exposed to the cold are single-parent families. “The most discriminating variables between households are gender (being a woman), low income (unemployed and receiving minimum social benefits) and family situation (being alone or living alone with your children). “
The authors, attached to the Odenore, bring to light the strong ignorance by the households concerned of the aid to which they could claim: 78% of respondents do not know the financial aid for thermal renovation (tax credit, MaPrimeRénov ‘) and 38 % do not know those to reduce energy costs (solidarity fund for housing, energy check).
Non-use of energy checks
Particular attention is paid to the energy check, which replaced the social tariffs for gas and electricity in 2018. It is means-tested to help 5.8 million low-income households. Its average amount is 148 euros per household.
An exceptional check of 100 euros will be allocated in December to deal with the current increase in energy prices. Prime Minister Jean Castex opened the door Thursday to an additional gesture, if the price moderation measures decided by the government were not enough.
The Grenoble researchers note, however, that the energy check is the subject of a non-appeal about which the Court of Auditors has already challenged the public authorities: in 2019, 25% of households who received this check had not used it. .
“Non-receipt of the check (for example linked to a change of address), incomprehension of how to use it, loss or refusal to use it (on the part of households and energy suppliers)” are the explanations put forward.
This observation is shared by associations helping the most disadvantaged. “It’s been four years that this percentage has not decreased”, laments François Boulot, project manager on fuel poverty within the Secours Catholique, who points out that the letter sending the energy check is seven pages of explanations …
The study also highlights “The issue of information on aid” because energy poverty is in the throes of “Forms of non-recourse to aids and devices, by non-knowledge and by non-proposal”.