Helping More People Stay Warm This Winter

The Warm This Winter campaign has found the majority of the public would like more support for insulation and energy efficiency measures.

Carbon Copy is a member of the Warm This Winter campaign, a coalition of over 40 of the UK’s leading charities. We’re demanding the government acts now to help people struggling with energy bills this winter, and to ensure we all have access to affordable energy in the future.

Amongst the key asks for the Warm This Winter campaign in 2024, is for more Government support for better access to energy-saving insulation for UK properties.

Research published this week (20 November 2024) shows six out of 10 people (59%) 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.

The poll of over 2,000 people in the UK by Opinium [1] also shows cross party support for a radical overhaul of the UK’s housing stock.

Caroline Simpson, spokesperson for Warm This Winter 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. 

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.

The research also found that 80% believe landlords  should be responsible for making sure rental properties are energy efficient and fit to live in for renters and found that 42% say they are worried about being able to afford the costs to improve the energy efficiency of their home, including even basic measures such as buying draft excluders.

A large-scale insulation drive to bring the homes of 31 million people up to standard by 2030 through upgrading homes from the UK average Energy Performance Certificate band D to band C would cut household bills by 20% or around £150 in 2024. For the worst homes this saving rises to just less than £400. 

It would also reduce  pressure on the NHS as cold homes cost the NHS around £500m per year, and bring  down new cases of childhood asthma by 650,000, according to Citizens Advice. 

End Fuel Poverty Coalition coordinator Simon Francis said: “The Budget came nowhere near close to providing the funding needed to secure a Warm Homes Plan for those suffering the most in fuel poverty.

“But 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.”

Because such an insulation programme will take time to kick in, it’s not surprising that three-quarters also support a social tariff for older and disabled people and two-thirds also feel that it should be part  funded by the wider energy industry who have raked in over £457 billion [2] in profits since the start of the crisis. 

Added Caroline: “We need a long term approach bringing our homes up to standard so people don’t live in fear of the quarterly Price Cap announcements. We also need financial help now for the most needy and the public firmly believe the wider energy companies should pick up the tab for that.”

When it comes to fears of how to keep homes warm this winter, over 65s are by far the most concerned group with half (50%) worried about how they will stay warm and the same number of older people scared about using the NHS in the colder months.

What can we do locally to ensure more people are kept warm this winter?

There are dozens of inspiring stories shared on Carbon Copy that demonstrate the potential impact of proper insulation for homes:

• Cosy Homes in Lancashire is a county wide energy and affordable warmth initiative developed by 14 Local Authorities in Lancashire, pulling together to help vulnerable residents. The region has one of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the UK, and the Cosy Homes scheme aims to help residents to not only keep warm, but by saving energy (and greenhouse gas emissions), they will also save money.
• Karbon Homes is a housing provider based in the North East of England. Over the past few years they have invested £millions in the installation of energy saving measures in their existing homes and managed buildings. Measures have varied from switching to LED lighting in communal areas and fitting smart meters in homes, to the upgrade of inefficient heating systems, installation of cavity wall and loft insulation, and the implementation of renewable energy technologies, including air source heat pumps and solar panels. The measures have helped their customers stay warm in the winter, as well as saving them an average of £116 per year on bills.
• In Drumchapel, Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest landlord The Wheatley Group is retrofitting 36 post-war homes to improve efficiency. The homes, which are built from Canadian timber, will have new energy-efficient external wall insulation fitted, alongside triple-glazed windows and insulated external doors. Electric heating will be replaced with high-efficiency air source heat pumps, solar panels and a heat recovery system, allowing energy used at the property to be partially self-generated. New external wall insulation will help limit heat loss in the winter and prevent heat build-up in the summer.

Read more inspiring examples of the benefits of insulation and energy efficiency measures here. For further information about the Warm This Winter campaign, visit www.warmthiswinter.org.uk

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

[2] Data as at 3 September 2024. Researchers examined the declared profits of the 20 firms the End Fuel Poverty Coalition is most asked to comment on. This sample of the industry ranges from energy producers (such as Equinor and Shell) through to the firms that control our energy grid (such as National Grid, UK Power Networks and Cadent) as well as suppliers (such as British Gas). It does not include supply chains nor market trading firms.