# A quarter of households may not turn the heating on

> Energy supplier Essent says households fear high bills, and that many people on the edge of energy poverty would not qualify for the government's emergency energy fund.

Economy · published 2026-10-24 10:31 · https://nlnow.nl/a/a-quarter-of-households-may-keep-the-heating-off-this-winter/

A quarter of households are so afraid of a high bill that they will not switch on the central heating, or probably will not, a survey commissioned by energy supplier Essent shows. With the clocks going back to winter time, many homes turn the heating on for the first time in the coming days.

About 70% of respondents adjust their heating at home or expect to, mostly for fear of the cost. Almost all of those questioned are taking steps to save money, from setting the thermostat lower or later to keeping the heating off in some rooms. Almost all of them do the last of these.

> Many people face a choice this winter: either a cold home, or an energy bill they can barely pay.
> — Resi Becker, CEO of Essent

About half a million households in the Netherlands live in poverty because of a high energy bill combined with a low income. The cabinet has set aside €193m for an emergency fund, the Noodfonds Energie, which households can apply to next year. Essent fears that is not enough.

Essent says a large group is on the edge of energy poverty, already spending 8% to 10% of their income on energy every month. Setbacks such as higher taxes or grid charges could push them over. Eligibility for the fund depends on the size of the energy bill, so they would not qualify, the company says.

"These households are in a dire situation," Becker says. "Switching off the heating is not a structural solution for their situation."

**What this means for you**

- A fixed-tariff contract (contract met een vast tarief) keeps the price per kWh or m3 the same for a set period, for example 1 or 3 years, and the supplier may charge a cancellation fee if you cancel early.
- When a fixed contract ends, it becomes a variable tariff (variabel tarief), and the supplier must tell you the new rates at least 30 days ahead.
- With a variable tariff the supplier may change the rates, usually at set moments such as every 3 months, with at least 1 month's notice, and you pay no cancellation fee if you cancel.
- A dynamic tariff (dynamisch tarief) follows wholesale market prices, with electricity changing every quarter of an hour, hour or day and gas changing daily, and a model contract (modelcontract) may include feed-in charges for solar panels (terugleverkosten).
Source: ACM ConsuWijzer: vaste en variabele leveringskosten (https://consument.acm.nl/elektriciteit-en-gas/wat-betaal-ik-voor-mijn-energie/vaste-variabele-leveringskosten-energie), read 2026-10-23

## Background

- **Essent**: Essent is a Dutch energy supplier, a company that sells electricity and gas to households and businesses in the Netherlands. In this context it is the company whose survey on heating habits is cited, so its name refers to the energy company itself.
- **Noodfonds Energie**: The Noodfonds Energie (Energy Emergency Fund) is a Dutch government fund intended to help households that cannot pay their energy bills because high energy costs combine with a low income. Households can apply to the fund when it is open, and it is meant as a temporary safety net rather than a permanent part of the energy system.

From NLnow, news from the Netherlands in English. How stories are made: https://nlnow.nl/about/