£1.3 BILLION GOES UP THE CHIMNEY
- As millions of homes remain without insulation
23rd October 2005

Up to £1.3 billion1 worth of domestic energy costs are going up the chimney because millions of homes are lacking basic loft insulation according to research out today.

The not-for-profit Home Heat Helpline calculated that just over 7 million British households are without sufficient loft insulation, leaving many with higher than necessary home energy bills.

The problem is worst in England where 6.7 million households are lacking decent loft insulation that could help with lower fuel bills. In Scotland there are around 386,000 households without sufficient loft insulation and in Wales the figure is 21,983.

The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99), launched by the Energy Retail Association provides vulnerable customers with help and funding to improve their home insulation and are urging those worried about their bills to call the Helpline as soon as possible to see if they are entitled to help with insulation.

Duncan Sedgwick, Chief Executive of the Energy Retail Association which runs the Home Heat Helpline comments: ‘It is worrying that so many people could be paying higher than necessary home energy bills. That’s why we are encouraging anyone worried about paying their fuel bills this winter to call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 as soon as possible so they have ample time to access both Government and supplier grants to get free insulation measures fitted in time for winter. Research shows that customers in need could be missing out on benefits worth as much as £1,500 each, so don’t miss out, call today2’.

Lack of loft insulation is just the tip of the iceberg as there is also an estimated 11.3 million households who have no cavity wall insulation meaning the amount of money going up the chimney on wasted fuel costs could be higher.

Retired weatherman Michael Fish adds ‘The British are famous for talking about the weather and each winter the nation is fixated with the temperature outside with many of us turning the heating right up to fight the cold, resulting in high fuel bills. But actually many of us could save money by installing insulation, so to avoid letting your fuel bills go through the roof call the Home Heat Helpline before the cold weather is forecast.’

The older generation in particular are being targeted by the Home Heat Helpline after their research3 found only half of over 55 year olds would consider insulating their home in the summer months in preparation for winter, this is despite all of them admitting they knew insulating their home could save money on their heating bills.

This is particularly worrying as the research also found that 51% of over 55 year olds kept their heating at a lower temperature and 47% only heated selected rooms in an effort to save money on their bills.

Efficient insulation can conserve valuable heat within homes, making for a warmer home and helping people save money on their energy bills. In fact installing loft and wall insulation could save each household around £300 each year on their home energy bills.

The following insulation methods can all help people save money on their energy bills:

Cavity Wall Insulation - this creates an even temperature in the home, helping prevent condensation on the walls and ceilings. Installing cavity wall insulation can save up to £120 per year on fuel bills

Draft Prevention - rooms can sometimes feel cold due to strong drafts rising up from gaps between the floorboards or between the skirting board and the floor. This is easily resolved by filling the gaps with a regular tube sealant.

Loft Insulation - a very effective way to reduce heating bills - as much as a third of the cost of heating a home could be escaping through the roof.

Tanks and Pipes - insulating hot water tanks by fitting a ‘jacket’ or covering pipes will help keep water hot.

The Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99) is a free help line which has been set up to help anyone worried about paying their heating bills. Callers can talk to specially trained staff who can provide help and advice with their home heating bills including grants to make homes more energy efficient, arranging alternative payment methods to suit their circumstances, accessing a priority service team of specialist advisers and providing links to other support agencies.

Ends

Media Contacts: For further information and access to case studies please call
Kim Power, Darren Young, Karen Tait at Good Relations: T 020 7861 3030
Suzi Darsa at the Home Heat Helpline: T 020 7930 9174 / 07887 523 522

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1- Based on estimated amount of £180 saved each year by installing loft insulation. Insulation statistics taken from the Housing Conditions Surveys for England, Scotland and Wales
2- Research conducted by British Gas in 2006
3- Research conducted by the YouGov May 2006 amongst 1,595 GB over 55 year olds

1. The Helpline operates from Monday to Friday 9am-8pm and from 10am-2pm on Saturday. There is a free minicom number (0800 027 2122) and the Helpline also has access to interpreters for those callers whose first language is not English
2. The Helpline is operated by The essentiagroup and is staffed by expert advisers, including former health professionals, who are trained to give advice on how to stay warm during the cold weather. They are also trained and authorised to deal with intermediaries calling on behalf of vulnerable customers, such as friends, carers, social workers or health visitors
3. The Energy Retail Association was established in October 2003 and is the only dedicated trade association for domestic energy suppliers in Great Britain. The Energy Retail Association’s mission is to identify areas where its members can work for the common good without competitive advantage. More information can be found at http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/

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