Energy hardship can be broadly understood as a situation in which individuals or households are unable to afford basic energy services necessary for sustaining their wellbeing. Despite conceptual challenges and overlaps with similar narratives (e.g., fuel poverty), the literature on energy hardship continues to expand. It represents a critical intersection with sustainable energy systems that reveals both challenges and opportunities in the transition towards clean energy solutions. However, few energy hardship programmes have been examined from a policy perspective.

Our study aims to address this knowledge gap by providing a systematic analysis of a sample of 67 energy hardship programmes implemented across Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and more than 20 European countries. Guided by specific research questions and supported by directed content analysis, we focus on five areas: dominant policy rationales, main policy goals, supportive policy instruments, stakeholders, and key performance indicators (KPIs).

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