  Fuel poverty affects between 50 and 125 million households in Europe and is a
significant issue for both developed and developing countries globally. This
means that fuel poor residents are unable to adequately warm their home and run
the necessary energy services needed for lighting, cooking, hot water, and
electrical appliances. The problem is complex but is typically caused by three
factors; low income, high energy costs, and energy inefficient homes. In the
United Kingdom (UK), 4 million families are currently living in fuel poverty.
Those in series financial difficulty are either forced to self-disconnect or
have their services terminated by energy providers. Fuel poverty contributed to
10,000 reported deaths in England in the winter of 2016-2107 due to homes being
cold. While it is recognized by governments as a social, public health and
environmental policy issue, the European Union (EU) has failed to provide a
common definition of fuel poverty or a conventional set of indicators to
measure it. This chapter discusses current fuel poverty strategies across the
EU and proposes a new and foundational behavior measurement indicator designed
to directly assess and monitor fuel poverty risks in households using smart
meters, Consumer Access Device (CAD) data and machine learning. By detecting
Activities of Daily Living (ADLS) through household appliance usage, it is
possible to spot the early signs of financial difficulty and identify when
support packages are required.
