Energy price fluctuations can affect whether or not a low-income family can afford to pay their energy bills. Through the Energy Hardship Project, the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) tracks energy prices, energy bill arrearages, and the toll unaffordable energy costs take on struggling families.
April 2024 Energy Hardship Report
Energy prices are finally coming down to pre-pandemic levels. Despite this relief, millions of low- and moderate-income (LMI) households are still struggling to pay their bills.
The tables and charts in this report highlight the difficulties families are facing in paying their home energy bills, with many falling behind.
Data in this report come from various sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Energy Information Administration, Census Bureau, and utilities.
Download the report here.
April 2024 Report Highlights
- Winter home heating bills have finally started to approach pre-pandemic pricing levels. The average cost of home heating dropped by 12.1% since last winter, from $951 to $836. When accounting for inflation, the price of home heating this winter was about the same as it was at the beginning of the pandemic.
- The latest Census Pulse Report demonstrates a rapid increase in families that are struggling to pay high energy bills. The most recent survey found that 1 in 4 households could not afford their energy bill at least once in the past year.
- Meanwhile, Summer Cooling presents new challenges, and health dangers, for states. Extreme heat causes more deaths each year than any other weather event.
- Despite more affordable fuel prices, arrearages remain stubbornly high. NEADA estimates 16% of households are behind on their energy bills and owe a total of $20.3 billion as of December 2023.
- Finally, crucial energy assistance funding has been reduced by $2 billion. States have reported that in response to the reduced funding they will need to cut crisis assistance, reduce or end cooling programs, and/or cut back on other program components such as weatherization.
Past Energy Hardship Report Publications
June 2023
November 2022
Our Latest Posts From The Energy Hardship Project
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While the Price of Winter Energy Bills are Declining, Families Struggle to Pay their Energy Bills
While the average cost of home heating dropped by 12.1% since last winter, from $951 to $836 the percent of all families that were unable to pay their home energy bill at least once in the last 12 months increased significantly from 16.5% in March 2023 to 19.2% in March 2024. For families with young…
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Press Release: LIHEAP Funding Insufficient to Cover Record Utility Arrearages
States Call for Congress to Restore Funding for LIHEAP Record # of Households Receive Assistance – 1.5 Million Could be Cut from the Program Residential Utility Arrearages Reach Record Level
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Winter Heating Price Outlook: Home Heating Expenditures Remain High for 2023-2024 Heating Season
Prices decline for households using natural gas, but electricity and delivered fuel prices are up.
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Utility Arrearages Rise After Winter Shutoff Moratoriums End
The level of utility consumer debt – the amount consumers owe their utilities – has increased from $17.5 billion at the end of January 2023 to $19.5 billion by the end of March 2023.
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End of Winter Energy Update Shows Households Are Still Struggling to Pay Bills
Utility Arrearages Continue to Increase, Applications for LIHEAP Reach Highest Level in since 2009, Electric Prices Increase Almost Twice the Rate of Inflation
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NEADA Midwinter Energy Update for 2023
The National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (NEADA) today released its midwinter energy update. The energy update indicates the highest increase in applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) since 2009 and the highest total rate of applications since 2011, as families struggle with paying some of their biggest home energy bills in…