Fuel Poverty – A New Challenge for Social Policy?

The article presents a multi-faceted problem of energy or fuel poverty. This issue is still poorly recognised in Poland, although it is estimated to affect at least 17% of the Polish population, who find it difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature at home or to pay bills for heating their households. Besides the thermo-modernisation of residential buildings and the promotion of appropriate attitudes to energy consumption, another approach to combating energy poverty involves economic support in the form of energy allowances awarded to households identified as “vulnerable energy consumers”. This paper presents the extent of support given to households in Olsztyn in 2014-2015.