Tag: Energy Efficiency

Millions to spend a fourth winter in cold damp homes

New figures reveal that 16% of UK adults (8.8m people) live in cold damp homes, exposed to the health complications that come from living in fuel poverty. [1]

While the Government has announced that a Warm Homes Plan will help improve people’s homes in years to come, this will come too late for the one in ten (9%) who frequently experienced, dangerous, levels of mould in their homes over the past 12 months.

People who live in poorly insulated homes risk seeing damp and mould spread and the NHS warns that people living in these conditions are more likely to have respiratory problems, respiratory infections, allergies or asthma. 

Damp and mould can also affect the immune system while living in such conditions can also increase the risk of heart disease, heart attacks or strokes.

Cold homes can cause and worsen respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, poor mental health, dementia and hypothermia as well as cause and slow recovery from injury.

To tackle the problem, a large majority of people support a fully funded nationwide insulation and ventilation programme to create healthy, energy efficient homes that will slash excess deaths caused by cold, damp houses in winter. 

Nearly three-quarters (72%) agree the worst insulated homes should be the priority as almost half (47%) of those polled are worried about how they will stay warm this winter, with 46% worried if they have to rely on the NHS this winter. [2]

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“The sheer numbers of people living in cold damp homes this winter should send alarm bells ringing throughout Westminster. 

“These shocking figures have hardly changed since last year and with energy bills heading upwards again in January, the situation is now critical for the Government.

“The Chancellor must take two immediate steps in the Comprehensive Spending Review. Firstly, she must fully support the Warm Homes Plan with £13.2bn of funding and a commitment to help the worst insulated homes get support first.

“Then Ministers must also bring in more support for vulnerable households this winter and speed up plans to bring in a social tariff for next winter – a move that is backed by the vast majority of voters.”

Following the findings of the poll, commissioned by campaign group Warm This Winter, organisations have signed an open letter sent to Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury calling for the Government to commit to the  £13.2 billion. 

Warm This Winter spokesperson Caroline Simpson said: “It is shocking that whilst people are looking forward to celebrating the festivities, too many are still living in true Dickensian conditions, where cold damp homes are making them ill.

“We need to see a Government that has the ambition to create the homes people deserve and banish these appalling conditions to a bye-gone era where they belong.”

ENDS

[1] Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,000 UK adults between 22nd and 26th November 2024. Results have been weighted to be nationally representative.  In 2023, there were 54,196,443 people aged 18 plus in the UK according to ONS.

[2] Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,014 UK adults between 7th and 8th October 2024. Results were weighted to be nationally and politically representative of the UK adult population.

Insulate us from energy shocks say bill payers as public reveal cold winter fears

New figures from the Warm This Winter campaign have found that almost half (47%) of those polled are worried about how they will stay warm this winter, with 46% worried that they may need to rely on the NHS this winter. [1]

Over 65s are the most concerned group with half (50%) worried about how they will stay warm and the same number of older people scared about needing to use the NHS in the colder months.

The figures come after data, released by the DWP to the House of Commons Select Committee on work and pensions, have shown thousands of pensioners will be pushed into poverty by the decision to remove Winter Fuel Payments.

Campaigners warn that the official statistics are likely an underestimate of the suffering caused by the decision. Those missing out on Winter Fuel Payments this year include 1.2m pensioners in absolute poverty and 1.6m disabled older people.

As part of the long term solution to cold damp homes, the Warm This Winter data shows that nearly three quarters (72%) of the public want the UK’s worst homes to be prioritised with a properly funded insulation and ventilation scheme.

But until the Government’s Warm Homes Plan is introduced, energy bills remain around 65% higher (c.£700 per average household) than in winter 2020/21 – a fourth winter of the energy bills crisis driven by our over reliance on expensive gas.

As the first cold snap of the 2024/25 winter hits home, data analysis by academics has found fuel poor households are using dangerously low amounts of energy during freezing weather.

This has also led to calls to reform the Cold Weather Payments so they are paid out when the Met Office predicts the temperature in the next 24 hours is likely to fall to -4C or below, rather than paid after a cold snap as is the case at present.

As well as short term measures to high energy bills, six out of 10 people actively support a fully-funded nationwide insulation and ventilation programme to create healthy, energy efficient homes that will also make bill payers less exposed to energy shocks.

Experts have calculated it could save households up to £400 on yearly energy bills.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said:

“The dangerous situation households will face this winter is becoming clearer – more people are likely to be living in cold damp homes which will put people in harm’s way.

“Fully funding support to insulate, ventilate and improve the heating in people’s homes is the fastest way to bring down energy bills for good.

“Households – and employers in the industry – need the reassurance that the Government will stick to its word and deliver the £13.2bn investment in the Warm Homes Plan that they promised during the election campaign.

“But home improvements on such a scale will take time to take effect and will be no comfort to those struggling this winter.

“That’s why it is so vital the ministers bring in more support for vulnerable households this winter and speed up plans to bring in a social tariff for next winter – a move that is backed by the vast majority of voters.”

Caroline Simpson, spokesperson for the Warm This Winter campaign said:

“The public have spoken. They want a comprehensive, funded, insulation and ventilation programme which prioritises the worst homes first. 

“If the Government acts now and puts the right measures in place, it would be welcomed by the majority of people in the UK no matter how they voted in July. And as well as making healthier, happier homes, it would also bring down bills in the long term, which would protect us from the ongoing cycle of energy shocks.”

Support for a funded insulation and ventilation programme crosses party lines with 69% of those who intend to vote Labour, 65% of Liberal Democrats, 54% of Conservatives and 53% of Reform, backing a more comprehensive plan. 

Jan Shortt, National Pensioners Convention (NPC) General Secretary said: 

“Will the Chancellor now reconsider her decision and reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment to all pensioners this year – or will she take responsibility for the risk to the health and welfare of those struggling to survive the cold without the allowance?

“Given that we already have freezing weather across the country, it is inevitable that those without the support of the Winter Fuel Payment will be suffering in cold homes – many afraid to turn the heating on at all. 

“The NPC is concerned to learn that the wait for those applying for pension credit is extended to 10 weeks as the extra staff being brought into the DWP will not be trained until the new year.  This delay will take those applicants who need their winter fuel payment now to at least February. 

“We genuinely fear that some may not survive to see February and their delayed payment.”

ENDS

Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,014 nationally and politically representative UK adults between 7th and 8th October 2024

 

Ministers unveil plans to help renters, but winter fuel payments axe stays

The Energy Secretary has announced a plan to ensure warm homes for all renters  – in both private and social rented housing – in his speech to Labour’s annual conference.

What ministers claim is the “biggest boost to home energy standards in history” follows the Deputy Prime Minister’s confirmation of a raft of measures to ensure good quality homes for all.

Under the plans, landlords will be banned from renting out properties that don’t meet stricter energy efficiency standards.

Caroline Simpson, Warm This Winter campaign spokesperson, said:

“This is very welcome news. UK properties are some of the worst insulated in Europe, with millions of Brits currently condemned to living in cold, damp, mouldy homes they can’t afford to heat. With energy bills still 65% more than they were at the start of the energy crisis, home insulation is the quickest way to bring down bills, but is seldom prioritised by landlords.

“The government must now ensure the private rented sector meets its obligations to tenants, as well as ring fencing funding for local authorities to make these promised energy efficiency upgrades a reality for those living in social housing.”

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition commented:

“People in rented accommodation are almost twice as likely to live in cold damp homes compared with people who own their own properties. [1]

“The Energy Secretary is to be congratulated for recognising the importance of the need for better energy efficiency standards in rented homes, but the Government shouldn’t drag their heels with more consultations.

“This issue has been consulted on widely in the past and Ministers must move to take action. There is no time to waste as improvements will take months or years to be felt by tenants and the longer it takes, the more support households will need to stay warm in the winter.

“That’s why right now we also need to see the Government revoke cuts to the winter fuel payment for this year and commit to more support for vulnerable households so that everybody can stay warm this winter and next.”

However, in her speech, Rachel Reeves refused to back down on plans to cut Winter Fuel Payments from 1.2m pensioners in absolute poverty and for 1.6m older people with disabilities.

An End Fuel Poverty Coalition spokesperson added:

“The Chancellor doubled down on her gamble with older people’s lives to fill a budgetary black hole, which according to reports is £10bn less than was initially claimed. And that’s before the Government takes receipt of the £3bn which it is recovering from the collapse of one of the energy firms.

“While Rachael Reeves tries to claim that the triple lock on pensions is enough to replace Winter Fuel Payments, personal finance experts point out that the rise starts next April, when pensioners face an energy bills crisis now. Equally, there are up to 800,000 of the poorest pensioners who get less than the full state pension and don’t even get Pension Credit.

“And of course, the full rise only applies to the one in four pensioners who get the ‘new’ state pension.”

ENDS
[1]  Research by Opinium for Warm This Winter campaign among a representative sample of 2,000 UK adults in November 2023 found 13% of those who own outright and 12% of those who own with a mortgage live in cold damp homes. This compares with 25% of those who live in a private rented home, 23% rented from a local authority and 19% rented from a housing association.

High temperatures herald health fears for millions

4.5 million adults (8% of the population) have been so hot in their home that it has made them unwell in the last 12 months according to new data released by energy efficiency campaigners. [1]

The issue is now becoming such a concern that it has been dubbed the ‘Hot House Syndrome’.

The research by Opinium reveals that among specific groups, there is a much higher incidence of ill-health caused by high heat among those with preexisting health conditions or disabilities (15%).

The UK’s Adverse Weather and Health Plan warns that “there is clear evidence of increased risk from heat and cold exposure for some” and in 2023, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) / University of Glasgow’s Hot Homes project revealed how poor quality housing acts like a “greenhouse” for residents trapped in “stifling” and “unlivable” homes.

Fiona Waters, spokesperson for the Warm This Winter said: 

“Hot House Syndrome is a real problem caused by the UK’s appalling housing stock and affects the poorest and the vulnerable the most. The same people who suffer from damp, mouldy homes in winter are stifled in summer when the sun comes out.

“That’s because the solutions to keep us warm in the colder weather are the same as keeping us cool in summer. Better insulation, ventilation and even heat pumps that can operate in a cooling mode can all help. But the public need financial support to upgrade their homes.”

Dr Isobel Braithwaite, Public Health Doctor and housing researcher, commented:

“The complications arising from being too warm are especially dangerous among those with pre-existing health conditions and can contribute to summer being as dangerous to health as the winter in some cases.

“This research has also highlighted, for the first time, some unique insights into other groups who may be more likely to be affected by the problem.

“We know cities, and particularly bigger cities, can be on average a few degrees hotter than the surrounding countryside, hence more heat-health risks. This is often coupled with poorer-quality housing in some urban areas.”

Previous analysis has shown that low income areas are particularly vulnerable to summer heat and the new figures expand on this to also reveal that those renting from private landlords are the most likely to suffer from one of the issues related to keeping cool in summer.

The new Opinium data also indicated that people aged 18-34, those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups and those who rent from private landlords were more likely to experience heat related ill-health.

Despite public knowledge that proper home insulation keeps homes cool in summer and winter (72% are aware), previous research has found that four in ten households can’t afford to insulate their homes and need Government support.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“The new Government will need to act quickly to improve housing standards and roll out a turbocharged programme to install more insulation and ventilation measures, especially among lower quality housing stock.”

Among the general public, 52% fully support formalised government programmes for insulation and ventilation with just 11% opposing such a plan.

Meanwhile the independent Climate Change Committee warns that “as the UK’s climate changes in the coming decades, periods of high temperature will become more common and more intense. As recent heat waves have demonstrated, high temperatures are a dangerous threat to health and wellbeing and reduce economic productivity.”

Matthew Scott, from the Chartered Institute of Housing, commented:

“The summer heatwaves of recent years offer a glimpse of what normal summer temperatures might look like in the future. 

“As our world warms, this research adds to the growing body of evidence that energy efficiency and retrofit is crucial for making sure people can stay cool and healthy at home, as well as warm.”  

Dr Braithwaite added:

“Whether you’re in a large city or a rural area, part of the solution to ill-health caused by heat is to ensure homes are well ventilated and insulated. This helps keep people cool in summer and warm in winter.

“Without action, heatwaves in the future will herald health fears for millions.”

At the Centre for Sustainable Energy, experts have provided low cost advice on how to keep your home cool, but as Ian Preston from the CSE adds:

“A well-insulated and ventilated home will actually help with keeping the heat out too. If you’re able to invest in insulation do so, just make sure ventilation is considered at the same time.”

Around half of the population isn’t adversely affected by excess summer heat, but for those that do suffer, problems with sleep (31%) and the cost of keeping their homes at a reasonable temperature (17%) were among the most common issues experienced in the last 12 months.

Seven measures that can help those affected in the short term, include.

  1. If you have a fan you can use it. People are put off by the cost but the average fan uses less than 100 watts of energy so costs around 3p per hour. 
  2. Keep windows shut and curtains closed in rooms that get the sun.
  3. Keep bowls of water around your home.
  4. Use appliances carefully as kettles, ovens and even fridges can create extra heat.
  5. Cooler rooms tend to be north facing and can provide a welcome respite or place to live for the more vulnerable during a heatwave.
  6. Use a sheet instead of a duvet for humid nights.
  7. Cool your body down by putting your feet in cool water or putting a cold towel over your shoulders. 

ENDS
[1] Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,185 nationally and politically representative UK adults between 29th and 31st May 2024. On a nationally representative sample of 2,185 UK adults, 184 have been so hot in their home that they have been unwell in the last 12 months. 184/21

General election candidates asked for views on ending fuel poverty

After years of staggering energy bills, candidates in the General Election have been asked to give their views on the steps they will champion to help end fuel poverty.

New Ipsos polling has revealed that the cost of living crisis is the second most important issue to voters heading to the polls.

Now the End Fuel Poverty Coalition has launched a survey which asks candidates three questions about the cost of energy and the cold damp homes scandal.

Campaigners have claimed that the next Government will need to act quickly after the election to end energy debt, protect households from the energy market, bring down bills for good, improve housing standards and make Britain a clean energy superpower.

Voters can also use the survey when MP hopefuls arrive at their door, so they can find out who is most likely to get to grips with fuel poverty and so they don’t have to face another winter choosing between eating and heating.

The poll asks candidates if they think the cost of energy bills is an issue for people living in their constituency and then asks them to rank a set of four solutions in priority order.

The solutions include targeted financial support for energy bills, help to upgrade homes, access to cheaper energy and a long term plan to get off oil and gas.

The final question asks candidates what they will do to help end fuel poverty if they get elected.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“Anyone standing for Parliament needs to be left in no doubt that the public is angry about vulnerable people living in cold, damp homes, whilst prices rise and the energy industry profits.

“Candidates will need to go into their new role as an MP ready to take responsibility and demand urgent action on behalf of those they represent. Nothing less will do.”

Research from winter 2023/24 has highlighted that 8.3m million people live in cold, damp homes with the NHS warning that they are more likely to have respiratory problems, respiratory infections, allergies or asthma.

Over a third (38%) of people from households where someone is under 5, pregnant, over 65 or with preexisting health conditions thought they might not be able to afford to put the heating on at all this winter.

Nearly four in 10 UK households (39%) say they cannot afford to insulate their homes.

Scottish public call on Ministers to fix nation’s damp homes

An overwhelming majority of the public have called on the Scottish Government to do more to end the cold damp homes crisis.

New figures published in the Daily Record found that 94% of the public wanted action designed to offset the challenges caused by record energy prices. [1]

The data commissioned by the Warm This Winter campaign found that the public was divided among the solutions they wanted to see, but there was clear support for more financial help for households as well as action on the long term solutions to the energy crisis, such as energy efficiency and insulation support.

  • 51% of the public want more government financial support to help households with high energy bills
  • 50% demand funding and support to install solar panels on homes
  • 38% support more funding to help with insulation in homes
  • 30% say there should be help for businesses to install solar panels or other small-scale renewable projects
  • 29% back better protection for tenants living in rented accommodation
  • 26% think there should be better energy efficiency advice and guidance
  • 25% want more funding to help install heat pumps
  • 3% would like more measures to tackle high energy bills, but don’t know what solutions they would like to see
  • 6% don’t support any of these solutions to tackle high energy bills (respondents could select more than one option)

Recently members of the Scottish Parliament were urged to put political differences aside to unite in support measures that will help end fuel poverty.

In a letter sent to all MSPs and to Scottish Government ministers, politicians were asked to ensure the new First Minister does not abandon government policies which could help end the cold damp homes crisis.

The letter, signed by leading civil society organisations and coordinated by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition and Energy Action Scotland, warned that among the most vulnerable, the crisis is even worse.  It came after figures from research among Social Workers Union members found that 69% of Scottish social workers have seen the people they support living in cold damp homes and 400,000 Scots live in uninhabitable conditions.

The campaigners have demanded that MSPs from across all parties to unite in support of:

  1. A Heat in Buildings Bill which is ambitious in its vision for improving the energy efficiency and insulation of the nation’s homes and contains a clear fuel poverty duty enshrined in the legislation.
  2. The current Housing Bill that will enhance tenants’ rights and provide financial protections for tenants during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
  3. Additional Government support in future budgets and legislation to help households cope with the cost of living crisis.
  4. Reintroducing the Fuel Insecurity Fund to help at least those most at risk of harm and struggling in energy debt.
  5. The new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment being fundamentally better targeted than the Winter Fuel Payment that it replaces.
  6. A strengthened framework of support for the renewables and offshore wind sectors and the fastest possible “just transition” for the oil and gas sector, as described in the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

National organisations that supported these asks ranged from the Poverty Alliance and the Disability Poverty Campaign Group to Fathers Network Scotland, the National Pensioners Convention and Parents for Future Scotland. 

Local groups, such as Aberdeen Heat & Power, East Kilbride Housing Association, East Lothian Foodbank, Stirling District Citizens Advice and Tighean Innse Gall also backed the call.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“These figures show that while different households back different types of support to combat the cold homes crisis, everyone is united in demanding action from the new First Minister.

“Part of the long term solution to record energy prices is to improve insulation, ventilation and energy efficiency of homes to reduce our consumption of energy overall. Abandoning a Heat in Buildings Bill now would fail people struggling in cold damp homes.”

Frazer Scott, Chief Executive Officer at Energy Action Scotland, said:

“With one in three households in Scotland in fuel poverty and household energy debt rising, it is clear that the public are demanding that more needs to be done to help with the costs of essential energy.

“Almost half of people in Scotland live in an inefficient, expensive to heat and power home. People need to see action from leaders and decision makers that will improve homes, reduce costs and support people to live a decent quality of life.

“The cost of failing to help people will be measured in the misery of far too many of our households, declines in health & wellbeing and ultimately the unnecessary loss of life from living in a cold damp home.” [2]

Fi Waters, spokesperson for the Warm This Winter campaign, added:

“The First Minister has pledged to tackle child poverty and a good place to start is in the home. All children deserve a warm, dry home, in fact it should be a basic human right for all Scots, which is why policies such as the Heat in Buildings Bill needs to be a central pillar of his parliament.

“Our polling found over half of Scottish people want more government help for people struggling to pay high energy bills, half want to see more funding for solar panels and four in ten more money for insulation.

“The Scottish people have spoken and want a government that will fix the broken energy system by investing in a proper programme of home insulation and homegrown renewable energy to get them off expensive oil and gas and bring bills down permanently. Swinney should listen.”

ENDS

[1] ScotPulse interviewed 2,660 Scottish adults aged over 16 between 7-10 May 2024. Results were weighted by gender and age to Scottish adult population estimates 2021.

[2] Scottish Government published the Scottish House Condition Survey for the year 2022 on 29th February which confirmed that at least 31% of households in Scotland were in fuel poverty and that this was a likely underestimate. It estimated that 37% of households were likely to be in fuel poverty at end March 2023. The 2022 survey identifies that 48% of properties did not reach an Energy Performance Certificate rating of ‘C’, which the Scottish Government determines to be efficient.

Fuel poverty statistics reveal households hit hard by energy bills crisis

New data published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has revealed that a surge in the numbers of households spending more than 10% of their income on energy in England.

The number of households who are required to spend more than 10% of their income after housing costs on domestic energy has risen to 36.4% of households (8.9 million households) up from 27.4% in 2022 (6.7 million).

Meanwhile, the average fuel poverty gap (which measures the additional money a household would need to be lifted out of fuel poverty) has increased by 66% between 2020 and 2023 in real terms, due to rising energy prices.

E3G UK energy lead, Juliet Phillips, explained that for those already in fuel poverty, things have got significantly harder:

“It is shameful that in a country as wealthy as England, so many households cannot afford to heat their homes to a healthy and comfortable level. New statistics show that no progress has been made in reducing fuel poverty rates in the past year, and that for those struggling to pay their energy bills, things have gotten a lot worst.

“We have seen a concerning inertia from the government over the last year on action to upgrade homes. This included a U-turn on the planned increase in energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector, and a significant under-delivery of the retrofit schemes designed to alleviate fuel poverty.

“If the UK is to have any chance of meeting its statutory target to end fuel poverty by 2030, a long-term plan is needed to rebuild confidence in supply chains: backed by investment and regulations to drive action to deliver warmer homes across the country.”

The statistics also show that households in the private rented sector are at the highest risk of fuel poverty. This follows Rishi Sunak’s U-turn on the planned uplift to minimum efficiency standards in the sector last year.

Jonathan Bean, spokesperson for Fuel Poverty Action, commented:

“Fuel poverty rates are highest in private rentals so the Government’s lack of commitment to improved standards will continue to harm millions.

“In addition, electric-only homes have the highest fuel poverty rates due to the four times higher price of electricity compared to gas, due to our rigged energy market which the Government and Ofgem have failed to reform.

“It is time to admit Government and Ofgem policies have completely failed, and a more radical solution to fuel poverty is needed – Energy For All.  This would eradicate fuel poverty now, rather than allowing millions to suffer in cold damp homes for another decade.”

The statistics show that there were an estimated 13.0 per cent of households (3.17 million) in fuel poverty in England under Ministers’ preferred measure of fuel poverty, known as the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) metric in 2023. This number is effectively unchanged from 13.1 per cent in 2022 (3.18 million).

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition explained the limitations of this metric:

“Even these terrible figures don’t paint the true picture of the suffering in households across the UK.

“They exclude millions of homes in certain energy performance categories, fail to take into account soaring energy costs and also don’t include many people who actually get a Warm Home Discount to help with their bills.

“The reality is that household energy debt is at record levels, millions of people are living in cold damp homes and children are suffering in mouldy conditions.

“The wider impact of high energy bills is also clear to see with households having to cut back on spending so much that the UK has now entered a recession.”

Nearly 1 in five households in the West Midlands are classed as fuel poor. Meanwhile, in the South West, it would take an extra £634 to lift homes out of fuel poverty.

The latest National Energy Action (NEA) Fuel Poverty Monitor, developed with Energy Action Scotland and Gemserv, highlighted over 3 million UK households could be left in fuel poverty by the end of the decade, despite a legal requirement for no households in England to be living in fuel poverty by 2030.

Adam Scorer, Chief Executive of National Energy Action, added:

“At this rate, the government will miss its 2030 legal fuel poverty target by a country mile and millions will be stuck unable to afford to keep their homes and their families warm and well.”

New polling by YouGov for NEA shows that three in 10 (30%) GB adults say their household has found it difficult to afford to pay their energy bills in the past three months.

This has driven many to drastic ‘not coping strategies’ with 59% of British adults saying they had turned their thermostat down lower than they wanted, while 52% turned their heating off, even though it was cold inside the house.

Public priced out of essential warm home measures

Nearly four in 10 UK households (39%) say they cannot afford to insulate their homes, according to new data commissioned by the Warm This Winter coalition, prompting campaigners to demand the government urgently refocus its efforts on boosting energy saving measures.  

Half of all Londoners (50%) say that they cannot afford energy efficiency measures, the highest in the country, followed by households in Wales (46%) and Yorkshire and Humber (45%).

And the UK has some of the leakiest homes in Europe, with the majority rated EPC Band D or below and around a fifth of homes have no roof insulation, leaving consumers paying higher energy bills for colder homes.

Analysis shows that it would take 190 years to upgrade the energy efficiency of the UK’s draughty housing stock at the current rate of the government’s flagship programme, the ‘Great British Insulation Scheme’, which installed just over 1,000 energy efficiency measures between March and October 2023. 

Upgrading inefficient homes to EPC band C would collectively save consumers £24 billion on their energy bills by 2030.

It would also give the UK more energy independence as insulation lowers the amount of gas required to heat homes, and gas will increasingly come from abroad as the North Sea continues its decline. Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho has conceded that the Government’s new Oil and Gas Licensing Bill won’t bring down energy bills. 

Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, commented:

“This government is obsessing over oil and gas drilling, which will do absolutely nothing to lower bills, while progress on energy efficiency, which is the quickest and cheapest way to keep people warm this winter, has slowed to a crawl.

“Ministers need to realise that millions of people cannot afford to insulate their homes and that, by turning its back on them, it is condemning people to live in cold homes.

“The more the temperature drops, the more enraging it is to watch this government waste time and effort trying to wring the last drop of gas from the North Sea, when saving energy would help people so much more.”

The start of this year saw energy bills increase by a further £94 for the average household.  A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition added:

“While households struggle in cold, damp, mouldy homes and struggle to pay their bills, Ministers are sitting on their hands.

“They refused to introduce an Emergency Energy Tariff for vulnerable households and have refused to set up an industry wide scheme to help people repay their energy debts.

“Instead, they have allowed energy firms to restart using the courts to force households onto prepayment meters and have now ruled out reform to energy tariffs to help those most in need. 

“What we need to see is urgent action on energy bills and the cost of insulation. But Ministers would rather play politics with a ridiculous Oil & Gas Licensing Bill that will do nothing to improve energy security or lower bills.”

ENDS

Opinium conducted a nationally representative survey among 2,000 UK Adults from the 24th – 28th November 2023 or 20th – 24th October 2023. Results were weighted to be nationally representative.

Customers to see energy bills soar from 1 April

Despite the Ofgem price cap falling today, customers will see energy bills rise by 43% for the average household from 1 April 2023.

Under the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee, the level of support for all households will fall at the same time that the Energy Bills Support Scheme also comes to an end.

Over 70 charities and campaign groups have now called on the Government to scrap the energy bills hike, paid for by the estimated £11bn underspend in the Energy Price Guarantee budget.

The Ofgem energy price cap was £4,279 in January but it will drop to £3,280 in April because of falling wholesale prices. Under the Government support packages, the average household bill has been £2,100 but this will rise to £3,000 from 1 April.

And contained in the small print of the Ofgem announcement is further bad news for some consumers.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, explained:

Not only will people’s bills actually go up from 1 April, but the Ofgem announcement today contains a sting in the tail for some households who do not pay by direct debit.

Households on pre-payment meters will continue to pay more for their energy with those on standard credit and Economy 7 tariffs also being hit. [1]

In addition, we have seen some regions pay significantly more for their electricity than others [2] and standing charges will increase for everyone by almost 10% [3] caused by the complex nature of Britain’s broken energy system.

This means some people will still pay even more, even if they use less energy.The Government must act to ensure that bills don’t go up, while also setting out a path to reform the energy market.

As prices soar, Greenpeace has also warned typical UK home could miss out on savings of £1,800 every year on their energy bills by the end of this decade unless the government ramps up plans to roll out insulation, and heat pumps. [4]

To help the public understand more about their potential savings, the charity has launched an Affordable Energy Calculator in partnership with Cambridge Econometrics at https://affordableenergycalculator.org/.

Georgia Whitaker, Climate Campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said:

Britain’s homes waste more heat than any in Western Europe. We can’t afford to carry on wasting energy like this in a cost of living crisis. Greener homes would keep communities warm and healthy and save us all money.

We need the government to support home improvements like insulation and heat pumps to lower bills, boost the economy, and help the UK reach our climate goals. Heating our homes really shouldn’t cost the earth.

Our Affordable Energy Calculator shows how much individuals and communities across the UK could save if the Government commits to invest in our homes in the upcoming Energy Bill.

Ruth London from Fuel Poverty Action, commented:

Public anger is intense and support is growing for a whole new system, Energy For All.

This would mean no standing charges, a free band of essential energy so that no one freezes to death with excess energy use charged at a premium.

This would be funded by windfall profits and end to fossil fuel subsidies with accelerated energy efficiency and renewables expansion to reduce cost of the proposals.

ENDS
[1] Standard credit +6.2%, Economy 7 +4.1%, PPM +1.4% (source Ofgem letter p3)
[2] For example, electricity in North Wales & Mersey is 6.7% more expensive than in the East Midlands (Ofgem default tariff cap level document, based on direct debit payment and standard average use on single point meter).
[3] Based on dual fuel, direct debit increase 9.7%, Standard Credit 9.4% and PPM 7.8% (Ofgem default tariff cap spreadsheet table 1b, column BO compared to BP)
[4] This figure was calculated using the most common dwelling type (owner-occupied, three bedroom, semi-detached) in England and Wales, according to ONS data*, with the most common characteristics (eg condensing gas boiler central heating) for that type of dwelling. This type of dwelling would see a £1,832 reduction per year, or 64.7%. The number is not a mathematical average of all UK homes. Other dwelling types show similar savings in percentage terms, so a one bedroom council flat would see a £606 reduction (59.5%) and a four bedroom detached house would see a reduction of £3,579 (64.9%).

 

 

Mini-Budget minimal on help for those in fuel poverty

As the Chancellor unveiled his mini-Budget, there was little immediate support for households in fuel poverty. However, some positive moves on energy efficiency and renewables have been given a qualified welcomed by campaigners.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition commented:

The Chancellor’s mini-Budget was especially minimal on the support needed to keep people warm this winter.

Even with the measures pledged by the Government so far, there is now just a week to go until energy bills increase by 64% compared to last winter.

The start of the Chancellor’s ‘new era’ will see 7 million households left facing desperate fuel poverty this winter.

Millions of people will spend the winter struggling in cold damp homes. This will cause health problems for many and place more strain on the NHS and social care system.

Millions will face additional hardship due to the unfair standing charges regime and being forced onto more expensive pre-payment meters.

Hidden away in the small print of the Chancellor’s Plan for Growth is an announcement to expand the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) – which requires energy companies to install energy saving measures in fuel poor homes – with a £1bn boost over three years, starting from next April.

The new funding will be targeted at those most vulnerable, and made available for the least efficient homes in lower council tax bands. In addition, the government will also ‘imminently open applications for up to £2.1 billion over the next two years to support local authorities, housing associations, schools and hospitals invest in energy efficiency and renewable heating.’

While the ECO expansion will provide vital relief for the households that stand to benefit, alone it cannot shift the dial on the resilience of UK households to energy price shocks now or in future.

Experts at E3G estimate it is about a fifth of the amount needed to be spent on green building measures and the opportunity was missed to meet the Home Upgrade Grant Conservative manifesto pledge – which is still £1.4 billion short of what should have been committed to 2025.

Juliet Phillips, Senior Policy Advisor at E3G, commented:

The cold and leaky nature of Britain’s homes and buildings have left families sharply exposed to volatile international fossil fuel markets and spiralling energy bills.

Today’s small top-up to expand energy efficiency support is welcome step which will help cut household bills and boost the UK’s energy security.

We hope to see the government go further and faster to unleash the full potential that energy efficiency has to offer to protect UK households from future energy shocks.

Members of the Warm This Winter campaign, Possible, have also highlighted how the mini-Budget appears to have positive news for renewables with an end to the effective ban on building on-shore wind in England.

However, there was little detail on how the nation’s books will be balanced. A spokesperson for Greenpeace commented:

Failing to properly tax the obscene profits of fossil fuel giants and encouraging bankers to get richer is reckless and unfair.

Rather than seeking to deregulate and attack those on benefits, the new Chancellor should be looking for ways to raise taxes on those profiting from the crisis.

This could help fund emergency support for households, and cover the vital investment needed in home insulation to help cut our energy bills and climate emissions once and for all.

Ministers are ignoring common-sense, win-win solutions to bring down bills and carbon emissions – things like stopping energy waste, heat-pumps and solar panels.

Instead of boosting the economy through investments in green infrastructure, public services and skills training, the government’s plan is little more than a charter for fossil fuel profits and casino capitalism.

Earlier this week, Age UK analysis found that from October 2022, around three in ten older households in England will be living in fuel poverty, including 1.3m lower income older households.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, commented:

Our new analysis shows that the Government’s relief package will not do enough to prevent approaching two million more pensioners from being plunged into fuel poverty in a couple of weeks’ time.

Most worrying of all, in excess of half a million of them are already living on lower incomes, so they will be in an impossible position financially, unless the Government does more to help.

However hard they try their income is not going to stretch far enough to cover the essentials any more.

Can you imagine how terrifying this prospect is if you are an older person on a low fixed income who has just about managed so far? Once they realise what a deep financial hole they are about to be in our biggest concern is that some will cut their spending to such a degree that it puts them at risk.

The Chartered Institute of Housing has also recently written to the Prime Minister for urgent government action to:

  • Bring forward the planned uprating of benefits from next April to this October
  • Limit deductions from Universal Credit for prior overpayments/sanctions
  • Remove the benefit cap and two-child limit
  • Restore local housing allowance rates to at least the 30th percentile and return to annual uprating
  • Prevent energy companies from forcibly switching customers to prepayment meters
  • Commit to bring forward additional funding for energy efficiency measures in homes

Notes

The average household bill in winter 2021/22 was GBP1277. This has increased to GBP2,100 for winter 2022/23, taking into account the support promised so far. For some of the most vulnerable households, the increase will be limited to an average household bill of GBP1,700 this winter – still representing a 33% increase year-on-year. Please note, the Energy Price Guarantee caps the unit cost of energy, not the total bill.

In winter 2021/22, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimates 4.6m UK households were in fuel poverty (based on official definitions). This will rise to 6.99m in winter 2022/23.