Even before the current energy price crisis, many people in Europe did not have enough money to heat their homes adequately.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, this affected around 2.6 million people in Germany last year who, according to their own estimation, could not keep their house or apartment adequately warm for financial reasons. This corresponded to 3.2 percent of the population and was thus below the EU average of 6.9 percent. Those living alone (4.3 percent of the respective households) and single parents (4.7 percent) were particularly badly affected, as the office announced.

The statistical results are also available to Eurostat at European level. According to this, in 2021 almost a quarter of Bulgarians (23.7 percent) were unable to heat their homes sufficiently. This also applies to 17.5 percent of people in Greece and 14.2 percent of Spaniards. In Finland, on the other hand, only 1.3 percent of people are cold at home.

Community statistics on income and living conditions have been collected in the EU since 2020. It is intended to provide information on the risk of poverty. In Germany, the questions about heating, vacation or wholesome meals are part of the representative microcensus.

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