A new report from the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub examines how low energy performance in residential buildings continues to drive energy poverty across the European Union. The analysis shows that vulnerable households are more likely to live in dwellings with poor insulation, inefficient heating systems and inadequate thermal comfort. These conditions lead to either higher energy bills or self‑restriction, where households reduce energy use below healthy levels.

The report identifies widespread inefficiencies in the housing stock, including single‑glazed windows, room‑based heating systems and a prevalence of lower EPC classes in countries with open‑access data. Thermal discomfort remains significant: in 2023, 31.3% of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion lived in dwellings not comfortably warm during winter, while 6.2% had no heating system. Higher discomfort levels are also reported among single‑parent households, migrants and people with disabilities.

The analysis highlights regional differences shaped by climatic conditions, housing typologies and welfare systems. Southern European countries face greater cooling needs and older building stock, while Central and Eastern Europe continue to experience the legacy of inefficient dwellings built under subsidised energy regimes. Western and Northern Europe show more targeted patterns of vulnerability linked to tenure, housing size and rural isolation.

EU legislation increasingly embeds energy efficiency as a structural response to energy poverty. The Energy Efficiency Directive and the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive require Member States to prioritise vulnerable households in financial schemes, address split incentives and report measures in their National Building Renovation Plans. The report notes that data gaps, particularly in EPC availability and optional EU‑SILC modules, limit cross‑country comparison and should be addressed to support evidence‑based policymaking.