Over one in ten households in the Brussels Region are forced to live in inadequately heated homes or delay paying their energy bills.
This situation affects nearly one-third of the poorest households, according to a study on energy poverty by the Observatory of Health and Social Affairs, the research service of Vivalis.
Precarious households consume less energy on average than wealthier ones, despite living more often in poor quality and poorly insulated homes known as 'energy sieves'.
In Brussels, over one in ten households face energy poverty, amounting to 71,500 households. This includes any household that cannot afford to sufficiently heat their home or has been unable to pay an energy-related bill.
The energy consumption of lower-income individuals is on average 20% lower than that of wealthier individuals, while they typically live in homes with poorer insulation. Additionally, their homes are at least half the size of those of wealthier households.
The study also highlights that Brussels has the country's most deteriorated housing stock: 16% of homes in Brussels are considered 'energy sieves', compared to 10% in Wallonia and 6% in Flanders. Dampness, mould, rotting woodwork, lack of central heating, and single glazing are daily realities for a third of the poorest households.
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On top of these difficulties, these households often have to make do with homes that are too small for their needs, averaging 68 square metres compared to 142 square metres for wealthier households.
Finally, the analysis reveals that the majority of poorly maintained homes in the Brussels Region are occupied by tenants.
