Publication type
Journal Article
Authors
Publication date
July 1, 2026
Summary:
Rising energy prices complicate how individuals navigate life. Prior studies have largely conceptualized energy prices as an economic pressure linked to poorer health. Yet natural gas and electricity—the primary domestic energy sources—serve distinct purposes and are not interchangeable. Beyond household income, educational attainment may be another key factor influencing the relationship between energy prices and physical health. The current study separates energy prices into two sources and examines whether educational attainment is associated with physical health during periods of energy price changes, above and beyond income. Using longitudinal data from the UK Longitudinal Household Survey (UKHLS) from 2014 through 2023 (Waves 5 to 14), combined with geocoded regional records of unit energy prices, we explore how within-person changes in energy prices relate to physical functioning, and whether socioeconomic factors (income and educational attainment) moderate this relationship. Multilevel models showed that increasing energy prices were related to an overall decline in physical functioning. These effects were amplified among individuals with lower incomes, although education also emerged as an important moderator. Those with lower educational attainment showed a greater decline in physical functioning when energy prices were higher. Sensitivity analysis further suggests that natural gas and electricity prices may be associated with different patterns of health burden over time. Overall, the results indicate that vulnerability to energy price fluctuations is structured by both economic and educational resources. By revealing how domestic gas and electricity prices intersect with social determinants of health, this study advances understanding of the association between energy-related hardship and physical health and highlights potential policy levers to reduce health inequalities.
Published in
Energy Research & Social Science
Volume
Volume: 137:104758
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2026.104758
ISSN
22146296
Subjects
Notes
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