What is "fuel poverty"

n. (context chiefly UK Ireland New Zealand English) The inability of a household to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost.

A household is said to be in fuel poverty when its members cannot afford to keep adequately warm at reasonable cost, given their income. The term is mainly used in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, although discussions on fuel poverty are increasing across Europe, and the concept also applies everywhere in the world where poverty may be present.