Energy poverty is a dramatic phenomenon that affects many families and has increased substantially as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. This is because of the rise in the cost of living, the inaccessibility of vital costs, the inability to accumulate savings, and the subsequent worry for the future. So, what exactly is the situation right now? According to a survey conducted by IPSOS for Banco dell'energia on the perception of energy poverty among the Italian population, employment and the state of the economy are the most pressing issues for Italians (43%), with a significantly higher proportion among residents of the South and the Islands (57%). 56% of Italians are either dissatisfied or dissatisfied with their economic situation, a percentage that is rising along with the anxiety about the rise in costs (which affects over 8 out of 10 Italians). In addition to food goods, energy, gas, and fuels are the areas of expenditures in which almost all Italians - over 80% - have reported increases. The increase in the cost of energy, which is partly related to the war between Russia and Ukraine, is seen as the primary factor behind the rise in costs of other products and services. 47% of respondents anticipate that Italians would lower their energy use over the cold months. According to OIPE, the Italian Observatory on Energy Poverty, 11.9% of households cannot afford to heat their houses; 2,2 million families, or 8% of Italian families, live in energy poverty. The Utilitatis Foundation projects that 13% of Italian households is impacted by energy poverty in the first quarter of 2022, with 3.5 million people living in situations of energy deprivation. This is due to the transmission of rises in natural gas costs to wholesale power rates.
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