Using the Dynamic Microsimulation MINOS to Evidence the Effect of Energy Crisis Income Support Policy

Rates of anxiety and depression are increasing due to financial stress caused by energy pricing with over half of UK homes unable to afford comfortable heating. UK Government policies to address this energy crisis have been implemented with limited evidence and substantial criticism. This paper applies the dynamic microsimulation MINOS, which utilises longitudinal Understanding Society data, to evidence change in mental well-being under the Energy Price Cap Guarantee and Energy Bill Support Scheme Policies. Results demonstrate an overall improvement in Short Form 12 Mental Component Score (SF12-MCS) both on aggregate and over data zone spatial areas for the Glasgow City region compared with a baseline of no policy intervention. This is work in progress and discussion highlights potential future work in other energy policy areas, such as Net Zero.