Energy poverty and multi-dimensional perspectives of social inequalities and policy challenges.

According to conservative estimates, paying utility bills on time is a serious problem for more than 50 million households in the EU. Energy poverty can be broadly defined as a household's inability to obtain the socially and materially necessary level of energy services. This has far reaching impacts, affecting people's well-being and health, and resulting in social inclusion. It is becoming an issue of social and political stability. Yet analyzing the scope of the problem and producing a definition of an energy-poor household is presenting a challenge to researchers and policy makers. A one-size-fitsall approach is seemingly impossible to find. Energy poverty is increasingly a feature of EU and member-state planning and development of the energy sector. New and innovative approaches to framing economic, social and environmental policies are required to address the roots and impacts of energy poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]