Marketplace All-in-One Heating bills are going up this winter
Feb 16, 2026
Vanessa Williamson, a tax policy expert at Brookings, explains IRS staffing and enforcement strains. Samantha Fields, a Marketplace reporter, files on rising heating costs and utility affordability. They discuss soaring winter energy bills, who falls behind on utilities, staffing shortfalls at the IRS, and how those strains could affect filing and enforcement.
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Heating Costs Outpace Inflation
- Utility costs are rising faster than headline inflation, driven by higher electricity and natural gas prices and unusually cold weather.
- The National Energy Assistance Directors Association expects average heating costs near $1,000 this winter, worsening affordability for many households.
Middle-Income Strain In Virginia
- Samantha Fields reports that even a middle-income household in Virginia struggled to pay higher winter utility bills.
- She and experts note one in six households is currently behind on utility payments this season.
Structural Drivers Of Higher Bills
- Rising natural gas costs, demand from new data centers, and deferred grid upgrades combine to push electricity prices higher.
- These structural factors suggest utility costs may continue to climb beyond this winter.