This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Data from more than 4,000 adults across Scotland showed that fuel, food and financial insecurity are widespread, and more than 1 in 10 adults experience all three simultaneously. The research, published in the European Journal of Public Health, was conducted by Sarah Champagne and Dr.
Aravinda Guntupalli of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences and professor Euan Phimister of the Business School at the University of Aberdeen and the University of Stellenbosch. It highlights how traditional income-based measures of poverty fail to capture the full extent of the hardship facing Scottish households. Instead, the team examined "multidimensional poverty," which recognizes that people can experience hardship in several overlapping areas at the same time.
Rather than focusing solely on income, it looks at whether people can meet basic needs such as fuel, food and finances. By examining multidimensional poverty, the authors argue that the cost-of-living crisis should be considered a significant public health issue rather than solely an economic one. Using Joseph Rowntree Foundation survey data collected by Savanta ComRes from 4,203 adults in Scotland in 2023, the study found that fuel insecurity—being unable to heat homes adequately or falling behind on energy bills—is the most prevalent form of hardship, affecting 58% of respondents.
Lower-income adults ages 35 to 74 were particularly at risk of fuel insecurity. In all, 28% of people reported experiencing food insecurity, meaning they skipped meals, reduced food portions or accessed a food bank because of food costs or limited food availability. Financial insecurity was reported by 22% of people, meaning they had been unable to pay bills, manage unexpected costs and avoid problem debt.
More than 1 in 10 adults experienced all three insecurities at once. The researchers also identified a disconnect between perceived and actual insecurity. Older adults, despite being more likely to have incomes below minimum income thresholds, were less likely to report financial insecurity, a pattern the authors say may mask the true scale of need.
Guntupalli, who led the research, explained the team's findings: "The health implications of the cost-of-living crisis are profound. "Scotland already faces the lowest life expectancy in the U.K. and the highest life expectancy inequality in Western Europe. Our data suggest that fuel insecurity is likely to carry substantial public health costs.
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