50% of Chicago Parents Report Challenges Paying for Heat in the Winter

One in five Chicago parents forced to reduce expenses for other household needs to pay their energy bill

In what may be one of the coldest winters in decades, 50% of Chicago parents faced difficulties paying their energy bill within the past year, according to the new Voices of Child Health Report from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. This is often referred to as “energy insecurity” and could lead to worse health for children. Over 500 parents in Chicago were surveyed.

“Too many families are struggling financially to cover basic necessities,” said lead author Marcus Shapiro, MPH, Research Coordinator at Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation Center, Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Lurie Children’s. “We found that the most common indicator of energy insecurity – reported by over 20% of surveyed parents – was cutting expenses for other needs, such as rent, food, medicine, or transportation, to pay their energy bill.”

The study revealed that Chicago parents were also affected by the other indicators of energy insecurity:

• 16% of parents reduced energy use in their home to uncomfortable or inconvenient levels to save on the energy bill
• 13% of parents paid an extra fee for late energy bill payment
• 13% used LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
• 10% of parents received an energy disconnection notice
• 6% of families experienced extremely cold temperatures in their home
• 3% of families had energy disconnected due to non-payment

A staggering proportion of low-income (≤$29,999) and middle-income ($30,000-$124,999) Chicago families experienced at least one characteristic of energy insecurity – 85% and 56%, respectively.

“We also discovered that 26% of parents use space heaters in some way to heat their home. This is especially concerning, since we know from previous research that one-third of all housefires are caused by space heaters,” said Shapiro. “Space heaters also account for about 80% of the injuries and 90% of the deaths in home fires that are caused by heating equipment. We encourage families to review heating safety tips from the Chicago Fire Department and other organizations.”

Resources and Safe Heating Tips for Families

• LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) provides information on financial assistance for energy bills.
• Community Action Agencies has information on assistance for a variety of services, including energy bills.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) offers heating safety tip sheets.
• Chicago Fire Department has tips for space heaters and electrical safety.
• Ready Illinois has tips to stay safe in extreme cold throughout the winter.
• American Academy of Pediatrics has tips on how to keep children safe in cold weather.

 

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research-driven children’s hospital in Illinois and one of less than 35 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children’s resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.