At the Intersection of Housing, Energy, and Mobility Poverty: Trapped in Social Exclusion

Abstract

The individual debates on housing poverty, energy poverty, and mobility poverty for the most part overlook the interwoven nature of all three cost burdens, especially for low-income households. This study examines how the three cost factors interact on a household level, the consequences for those affected by cost burdens, and how they cope and negotiate their expenses. Our research comprises two sets of semi-structured interviews, one before and one during the energy crisis, to gain insight into household experiences and constraints. We found that the freedom to choose where and how to live largely determines how households heat their homes and organize their mobility. The housing crisis together with housing market mechanisms appears to be the main driver of this cost trap; and from here, a complex interplay of causal factors unfolds. Location, often conceived of in terms of an urban–rural divide, seems to be of secondary importance. The intersection of cost burdens results in stress, anxiety, and social exclusion, further limiting the capacity for coping.