One in five homes hotter than Lanzarote - but Brits could save over £100 by turning down by one degree
Five million UK households set their thermostat above 22°C[1], three degrees above climate experts’ recommendations[2] and hotter than Lanzarote
More than one million UK homes are heated to 25°C or above[1], hotter than it currently is in Sydney, Australia[4]
Turning the thermostat down by one degree could potentially save households up to £128 a year on their bills at a time when energy costs are rising[3]
Uswitch.com offers tips on the best ways to save energy and money at home this winter.
Almost one in five UK households set their thermostats to 22°C or higher[1] — three degrees above climate change recommendations[2] and hotter than it currently is in Lanzarote, reveals research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Households could make potential savings of up to £127.70 for each home[3], by turning down just one degree.
The Committee on Climate Change recommends thermostats are set no higher than 19°C in the battle to combat global warming[2. On average, UK homes are heated to just under 20°C, fractionally lower than last year and marginally above the recommended level for combating climate change[1].
However, a significant proportion of the country are sweltering in hot houses, with 1.4 million households heating their properties to 25°C or higher[1] — warmer than it currently is in Sydney, Australia[4]. This is a dramatic reduction compared to last year, when 2.7 million households said they heated their homes to 25°C or above[1].
One in seven people (13%) say they are turning their thermostats down this year, which will help them save money and reduce their carbon emissions[5]. People in Norwich are the most likely to turn their thermostats down this winter, with one in five saying the temperature of their home will be less than last year[5].
People in Edinburgh and Southampton are the least likely to turn their thermostats down compared to last year, with only 7% saying their temperature will be set lower[5].
The research shows that younger people set their heating to 20.5°C on average, while those aged 55 and over are only heating theirs to 19.4°C[2]. Age UK recommends older people keep the rooms they use most at 21°C[6].
Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “By turning thermostats down by just one degree, people could potentially cut their energy costs by an estimated £128 a year.
“Many people have been turning down the thermostat over the last 12 months. Some will have been prompted to lower their thermostats so they can reduce their bills, while others are likely trying to reduce their carbon footprint.
“At this time of year it is important to stay warm, and anyone who is worried about paying their energy bills this winter should contact their energy supplier, who can offer advice and support.”
Find Uswitch’s full list of tips to help save money on your energy bills here.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Ross Stebbing
Phone: 07827 836 709
Email: ross.stebbing@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.