Spotlighting energy poverty in the private rented sector

The University has developed an Energy Poverty Dashboard to increase visibility of this growing issue and offer a knowledge hub of policies and measures to help address it.

Seeking out solutions for complex housing challenges

Energy poverty is increasing in the European and UK private rented housing sectors. Individuals in the private rented sector (PRS) are affected by energy-related issues to a greater degree than the general population; tenants have limited capacity to affect change in their homes and many landlords remain unwilling to pay for retrofitting due to a presumed lack of investment benefits.

With large numbers of people renting for longer because of the high cost of home ownership, stagnated wages and a decline in social housing/housing benefits, there is a demand for tools to help understand the complexities influencing energy poverty and begin to identify solutions.

Putting the Energy Poverty Dashboard into action

An EU-funded project, ENPOR, is the first to look at pan-European challenges and solutions to energy poverty in the private rented sector. The project aims to examine in-depth energy poverty policies for the PRS and in collaboration with The University of Manchester, monitor its dimensions through the development of the Energy Poverty Dashboard (EPD).

The tool works by juxtaposing the levels of energy poverty in the private rented sector with levels in the general population, taking account of different countries at different scales (from national to regional). This targeted data reveals trends and patterns about the issues the sector faces, shining a light on a previously neglected category.

Mapping the future of the private rented sector

The EPD also provides a knowledge hub and information resources about the existing energy policies and measures deployed across Europe. Its aim is to provide a holistic view of the issues faced by the sector and help map out solutions to the energy crisis at the core of private housing.

By engaging with policymakers and researchers, best practice can be shared, leading to better and more inclusive solutions in the future. And as the research continues, the team hopes that the EPD will become a dynamic and beneficial information resource.