Nearly 1 in 10 Households in Groningen Struggle to Pay Energy Bills
CBS and TNO report a significant rise in energy poverty across Groningen, with over 27,000 households affected by support reductions and high prices.
In 2024, energy poverty in the Netherlands increased once again, hitting Groningen especially hard. New research by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) shows that approximately 27,000 households across the province of Groningen, or nearly 8% of all households, were unable to afford their gas and electricity bills. In the municipality of Groningen alone, the percentage reached 8.8%, significantly higher than the national average of 6.1%.
Sharp Increase After Support Measures End
The rise in energy poverty follows the end of temporary support policies like the government’s energy price cap and €1,300 annual energy allowance, both of which were implemented in response to skyrocketing prices during the energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Without these measures, energy bills have risen sharply, with many households now paying over €170 per month.
“In 2022 and 2023, the price cap and energy surcharge kept energy costs manageable for many,” says CBS chief economist Peter Hein van Mulligen. “Now that those supports have been lifted, we’re seeing a return to pre-COVID levels of energy hardship.”
In fact, energy poverty in Groningen more than tripled over the past year. While the city saw a rate of 5.7% in 2023, that figure jumped to 8.8% in 2024, putting it above the national average.
Who Is Most Affected?
The most vulnerable groups include single-person households, pensioners, and people reliant on benefits—especially those living in older or poorly insulated homes. The situation is particularly acute in East Groningen, where incomes are lower and the housing stock is often outdated. In Oldambt and Pekela, energy poverty rates remain among the highest in the country.
Aside from those officially classified as “energy poor,” an additional 50,000 Groningen households fall into a high-risk category. These are people whose incomes are just above the poverty line but who still struggle to cover energy costs. Across the Netherlands, this risk group includes about one million households, with average energy bills consuming around 8% of their monthly income. By comparison, the national average is closer to 5%, while households in true energy poverty may spend nearly 12%.
“A large group of people in the Netherlands now feel less comfortable at home in the winter, simply because they can’t afford to turn on the heating,” says van Mulligen.
Insulation Helps, But Not Enough
Since 2019, there has been some progress. Many homes have been made more energy-efficient through insulation, and public awareness of energy-saving practices has improved. This has helped lower overall energy poverty rates compared to 2019, when the national figure stood at nearly 12%.
However, according to TNO researcher Anika Batenburg, insulation alone will not solve the problem. “Even with improved housing, there’s still a sizable group that won’t be able to keep up with energy costs,” she explains. “Income policy could be another avenue for tackling this issue, but that’s a political decision.”