Faced with rising energy bills, most UK households resort to rationing their use of heat according to research conducted by YouGov on behalf of Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA).
In polling conducted at the end of April 2024, 2,035 adults in the UK were asked how often, in the previous three months they had turned off their heating entirely. A total of 70% said they had done so for some period, with 15% replying “every day” and a further 30% stating “most days”. Only 60% of those aged over 65 admitted to turning off their heat entirely.
A similar proportion of adults, 68%, also admitted to turning down their thermostat to lower than they wanted, with 22% saying daily and 28% saying most days. A total of 73% of those aged over 65 admitted they had done this, suggesting they were worried about turning off their heating entirely but still concerned about paying their bills.
Mike Foster, CEO of the EUA said: “Looking ahead, with energy bills expected to increase on average by around £150, the evidence suggests households will simply resort to rationing their energy use. Praying for a warm winter is not a recipe for successfully keeping people healthy in their homes.
“With some tough decisions being made by the government, we need to focus on actions that keep people warmer so that the days of self-rationing, with its inherent risks, cease. Focusing attention on insulation, although boring, brings results. We know there are nearly 4m ‘easy to treat’ lofts that need insulation and 2.5m homes have ‘easy to treat’ cavity walls that could be insulated. According to the Energy Savings Trust, a typical semi-detached home can save around £200 a year off their heating bills with each of these measures.
“It’s also time for the regulator, OFGEM, to embrace the campaign led by Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis and scrap energy bill standing charges in favour of all costs being simply based on what energy is actually used. That way, if people do ration their use or make energy efficiency improvements, they get better financial savings for doing so.
“The previous government turned their back on energy efficiency. It’s time for a reset. Time to look at ways to save energy in a safe manner, permanently putting money back into the pockets of the average household while also curbing carbon emissions.”