96% of UK homeowners are concerned about the energy efficiency of their homes, yet one in five people are not doing anything to improve it, according to a survey conducted by the Energy Savings Trust.
Increased home-energy use throughout lockdown across the UK has put many people under financial strain. According to research conducted by the Citizens Advice, more than half a million households have fallen behind on their energy bills since last February.
In a bid to help households across the UK to save energy while continuing to heat their homes, the Energy Saving Trust has launched their Big Energy Saving Winter Campaign.
The campaign, which has been launched in partnership with Citizens Advice, Energy Saving Trust, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), provides simple but significant ways for householders to make immediate savings on their energy bills. These include:
- Turning down the thermostat by 1 degree
- Replacing bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs
- Set the heating to come on later
- Check eligibility for the Green Homes Grant scheme
- Draught-proofing windows
In the UK, 22% of our carbon emissions currently come from our homes – so as well as helping people save money on their energy bills, improving the energy efficiency of homes will also help to reduce carbon emissions.
Laura McGadie, group head of Energy at Energy Saving Trust, said: ‘With people around the country continuing to cope with the challenges and financial impacts of the pandemic, there has never been a more important time to ensure that people are aware of how to make simple changes in their homes to help reduce their energy bills.”
‘Energy Saving Trust continues to be committed to supporting households across the country at this time, and we hope our tips on how to make small changes will benefit everyone.
‘By undertaking these small changes, we can all make a difference including having a positive impact on the environment.’
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