In polling conducted at the end of April 2024, 2035 adults in the UK were asked how often, in the previous three months (Jan-March) they had turned off their heating entirely. A remarkable 70 per cent said they had done so for some period, with a worrying 15 per cent replying “every day” and a further 30 per cent stating “most days”. Only 60 per cent of those aged over 65 admitted to turning off their heat entirely.

A similar proportion of adults (68 per cent) also admitted to turning down their thermostat to lower than they wanted, with 22 per cent saying daily and 28 per cent saying most days. Interestingly, 73 per cent 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.

Having a warm home is key to both physical and mental well-being, including that of children and older people.

Commenting on the research and the expected increase in the Energy Price Cap to be announced on Friday, 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. Focussing attention on insulation, although boring, brings results. We know there are nearly 4 million ‘easy to treat’ lofts that need insulation and 2.5 million 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 emissionsT.”

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,035 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 22nd - 24th April 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).