1 / 22

The National Regulatory Research Institute

The National Regulatory Research Institute. Myths Regarding Low-Income Consumers: Implications for Consumer Education. Myths Regarding Low-Income Consumers: Implications for Consumer Education. 2005 Joint Low Income Energy Conferences Phoenix, Arizona June 14, 2005 Presented by:

cleta
Download Presentation

The National Regulatory Research Institute

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The National Regulatory Research Institute Myths Regarding Low-Income Consumers: Implications for Consumer Education

  2. Myths Regarding Low-Income Consumers: Implications for Consumer Education 2005 Joint Low Income Energy Conferences Phoenix, Arizona June 14, 2005 Presented by: Francine Sevel, Ph.D. NRRI Senior Consumer Affairs Program Manager

  3. Overview of Myths • Low-income consumers can afford high energy bills • Problem of energy affordability is not serious • Low-income consumers do not practice energy conservation

  4. Myth 1:Can afford high energy bills • Low-income households spend a greater % of household income on energy • Choose between energy services and food, rent, other bills

  5. Myth 1:Can afford high energy bills • 2003 official poverty rate:12.5 percent, vs. 12.1% in 2002. • 2003, 35.9 million people in poverty, vs. 1.3 million in 2002.

  6. Myth 1:Can afford high energy bills • In 2000, 31 million people or 11.3% lived in poverty • 6.4 million were “working poor”

  7. Myth 1: Can afford high energy bills • $15.37 national housing wage • $14.00 is the median hourly wage in US • >$10.00 earned by ¼ of population

  8. Hourly Wage Needed to Afford 2 BedroomApartment

  9. Myth 2: Problem Not Serious

  10. Myth 2: Problem Not Serious

  11. Myth 2: Problem Not Serious

  12. Myth 2: Problem Not Serious PA 2004 disconnect data 15,000 households /out heating 4,496 w/out elec 1,509 w/out natural gas Additional 14,595 disconnected residences are vacant Vs. 5,8000 in 2000

  13. Myth 2: Problem Not SeriousPercentage of Electric Accounts in Arrears 4/1/03-3/31/04 • 2004

  14. Myth 2: Problem Not SeriousPercentage of Gas Accounts in Arrears 4/1/03 - 3/31/04 • 2004

  15. Myth 2: Problem Not SeriousPercentage of Gas Account Disconnections 4/1/03 - 3/31/04 • 2004

  16. Myth 3: Energy Conservation Not Practiced

  17. Consumer Education Recommendations • Targeted consumer education • Use of stakeholder groups

  18. Targeted consumer education

  19. Targeted consumer education

  20. Use of stakeholder groups Federal Commissions Utilities Federal Policymakers Consumer Affairs Billing Houses Stakeholder Organizations & CBOs Billing Parties State Policymakers Consumer Protection Organizations State Agencies AG Consumer Protection Stakeholders

  21. Stakeholder groups

More Related