Millions in Germany Face Energy Poverty Amid Rising Heating Costs
With rising energy prices and heating costs, millions in Germany face energy poverty, prompting urgent calls for coordinated policy and social support.
- • 4.2 million people unable to pay energy bills in Germany as of 2024.
- • Approximately 10% of households vulnerable to rising energy prices.
- • EU Climate Social Fund to support vulnerable households from 2026, pending Germany's national plan submission.
- • Germany lacks an official definition and sufficient data on energy poverty, complicating relief efforts.
Key details
As the heating season begins in Germany, millions of people are struggling to afford adequate home heating due to soaring energy costs. According to the Federal Statistical Office, in 2024 around 4.2 million individuals lived in households unable to pay their electricity and gas bills. Furthermore, approximately 10% of German households are vulnerable to rising energy prices, with nearly 3 million still dependent on fossil fuels facing particularly steep heating expenses, according to the Öko-Institut.
This energy poverty crisis is intensified by the planned increase of the CO₂ price on fossil fuels starting in 2027 under the EU's new Emissions Trading System (ETS2). Although the EU climate regulations define energy poverty as lacking access to essential energy services due to high costs and low incomes, Germany currently has no official definition or sufficient data on energy poverty, complicating efforts to address the problem effectively.
Socially vulnerable groups such as families with children, elderly people, and individuals with disabilities are among those most severely impacted. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights emphasizes that access to energy is a fundamental part of the right to housing and essential for other human rights related to health, food, and education.
To mitigate this, the EU has introduced the Climate Social Fund, designed to support vulnerable households from 2026 onwards in coping with the financial burden of the CO₂ price. However, Germany has yet to submit its national climate social plan necessary to unlock these funds. Current aid mostly comes through social transfers and limited funding for building renovations and heating systems, but eligibility criteria and conditions remain unclear.
Experts stress that tackling energy poverty must be balanced with climate protection goals to ensure no one loses access to vital energy services. Without comprehensive measures and structural support, many households risk enduring inadequate heating during increasingly cold seasons, highlighting an urgent need for coordinated policy responses.