cold According to several associations, more help should be given to the poorest households to cope with soaring energy prices
According to an Ifop poll for Atlantic* published on Thursday, 61% of French people fear being cold in their homes this winter. — Canva
- The Day against energy poverty will take place on November 24. Upstream, several associations working in the fight against exclusion are sounding the alarm at the risk of increasing fuel poverty.
- Due to soaring energy prices, new homes are in fact likely to join those who are already in economic difficulty or those whose homes are thermal sieves.
- The associations are calling on the government to take emergency measures, such as strengthening the tariff shield for the most modest.
The winter will be harsh for the most precarious French people. In anticipation of the Day against precariousness; énergie, which will take place on Thursday, November 24, several associations working in the fight against exclusion have launched an alert this Thursday, fearing a sharp rise in precariousness; energy in the coming months. Because this is the result of three factors: low resources, poorly insulated housing; and high energy prices.
However, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the sanctions against Russia have had an impact on the supply of gas and the prices of electricity. Moreover, half French nuclear reactors being today at When stopped, the electrical production is lower. Between the second quarters of 2021 and 2022, energy prices (electricity, gas and petroleum products combined) thus jumped by 28% for households.
A price shield that will only limit the increase
Admittedly, the government will extend the tariff shield in 2023, which will limit the rise in gas and electricity prices. to 15%. But this increase will not have the same impact for everyone “French people’s bills are expected to increase by an average of 20 to 20%. 25 euros per month”, foresees Nicolas Nace, in charge of the energy transition campaign at Greenpeace France.
The bill will be even saltier for the inhabitants of the 5.2 million energy strainers in France. These energy-intensive dwellings, classified F and G on the Energy Performance Diagnosis (DPE) scale, generally have insulation faults. “We can expect that for the inhabitants of these homes, the increase in bills will be more like 50 or 100 euros per month,” says Nicolas Nace.
61% of French people fear being cold at home
This social context is all the more worrying as the precariousness energy was already growing in our country before the energy crisis: “20% of households, i.e. 12 million people, were already at low cost. victims of precariousness energetic. And the cuts or reduction of energy for unpaid bills had passed. from 550,000 in 2020 to 785,000 in 2021”, indicates Christophe Robert, sociologist and Delegate; General of the Abbé-Pierre Foundation.
The French themselves express their concerns about winter. According to an Ifop poll for Atlantic * published this Thursday, 61% of them fear being cold in their accommodation (whereas last winter, they were only 37%), and 95% of them say they are worried about the rising cost of energy. They already know; that they will have to restrict themselves: 68% will only heat certain rooms, 73% intend to lower the temperature to inside their home, and 71% will delay turning on the heating. “The increase in the price of basic necessities has been reported. from 12 to; 15% will put them face to face. impossible arbitrations”, also underlines Christophe Robert.
Strengthen the tariff shield for the poorest?
And this precariousness? energy will not be without impact on their health. “They are more likely to develop respiratory diseases, allergies, asthma and anxiety disorders,” says Christophe Robert.
Facing this observation, the government has developed measures in recent years to support households affected by precariousness; energy: Énergie check, MaPrimeRenov… But to cope with the coming winter, we should go further, believe the associations. First of all, by renouncing to a uniform tariff shield, ensuring that it helps the most vulnerable households. “If you win 5,000 euros, + 15%, it’s absorbable. But for the poorest households, 15%, çit will not pass”, underlines Christophe Robert.
Increasing APL, another solution
Another request: increase personalized housing assistance (APL) by 10% for the most modest households, with a doubling of the flat rate charges. Knowing that they have been revalued by 3.5% last July. But this is not enough, believes Christophe Robert: “We must also increase the amount of the energy voucher, which currently varies between 48 and 277 euros per year. You have to go until’ 800 euros for the poorest”. In 2022, 5.8 million households received it. But only 81% of beneficiaries have used it, which means fighting against non-take-up.
Associations finally call for stop power cuts this winter. If EDF has already made this commitment last March, the Foundation would like all operators to follow suit. And that the government step up its fight for the renovation of thermal colanders by ensuring that there is a left over. zero charge for the most precarious.
*Ifop survey for Atlantic carried out with 1,000 respondents in September 2022, according to the quota method.