French household energy bill payment difficulties before winter, Digi Mart USA News (France): Rising prices and tight budgets are making it hard for many French households to pay their energy bills. One in three people in France says they have had difficulty paying a gas or electricity bill over the past twelve months, according to the annual barometer of the national energy ombudsman (Médiateur national de l’énergie), published Tuesday, November 3, and reported by franceinfo.
The survey was conducted among 2,000 households in metropolitan France in early September. It confirms that energy bills remain a major source of financial stress, particularly for young workers and shopkeepers.
Of those surveyed, 34% reported payment difficulties. That share rises to 55% among people under 35, meaning more than one young person in two.
Among shopkeepers, 77% said they struggled to pay their gas or electricity bills over the same period.
Faced with these costs, nearly three households in four chose to lower their heating last winter to limit the strain. As a result, half of the surveyed households said they were cold for at least 24 hours in a row.
Frédérique Feriaud, director general of the Médiateur national de l’énergie, cited by franceinfo, said the trend has become entrenched: “We have been on a high plateau for two years.” By comparison, only 18% of households were in difficulty in 2020 and 25% in 2021, before the war in Ukraine and the energy price surge that followed.
The barometer found that 89% of surveyed households are concerned about the weight of their bills, and 86% said the bills weigh heavily on their budget. That rate, stable compared with last year, is the highest since 2007, when the indicator was created.
The ombudsman described a situation of massive energy poverty, which experts in the sector estimate affects about 12 million households in France.
Households hoping for relief face bad news: according to forecasts cited by the ombudsman’s director, gas prices are expected to keep rising at least until early next year. This may push even more households to revise their consumption habits this winter.
Many French households are turning to electric solutions seen as more economical over the long term, such as heat pumps. However, installation remains a significant financial obstacle, with an estimated cost of between 10,000 and 15,000 euros, well beyond the budget of many households already strained by the rising cost of living.
While awaiting aid or price reductions, simple measures remain the first line of defense: lowering heating slightly, insulating windows, monitoring consumption through the meter or customer account, and comparing offers available from energy suppliers to limit the bill this winter.
