12th of October is when households will turn their heating on this year... But seven million have put it on already
Households will put their heating on this year on 12th October – waiting an extra two days compared to last year[1]
Seven million people have already turned their heating on, while nearly two million people say they will hold off until December[1]
One in four households (23%) say they will push back the date they turn on the heating this year due to high energy prices[2]
As temperatures drop, nearly two million households say they never get their boiler serviced, while another one million only do so when it has a problem[3]
More than half of households (53%) don’t know what flow temperature their boiler is set to, meaning they could be wasting energy if it’s set too high[4]
Uswitch.com advises households to check their boilers are working and serviced correctly before the temperature drops.
The 12th of October is when most households will turn their heating on this year – although seven million homes have put it on already[1], reveals new research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Households say they put on the heating on 10th October last year, meaning that people are delaying the big turn-on by two days on average this year[1]. Nearly one in four households (23%) say they will delay putting on the heating this year due to high energy prices[2].
Men are more likely than women to have fired up the heating already, with three in ten blokes (30%) doing so, compared with a fifth of women (21%)[1].
And younger consumers seem less worried about energy bills, with two fifths (38%) of those aged 18 to 34 having turned the heating on already, against a quarter (24%) of 35 to 55-year-olds, and just a sixth (17%) of the over-55s[1].
Three in ten people (30%) – eight million households – say they will wait until November to use the heating, while nearly two million will hold off until December. Another almost two million homes say they will try to get through winter without using the heating[1].
As temperatures start to fall and households consider switching on their heating for the first time in months, nearly two million households admit they never get their boiler serviced, while another million say they only call out an engineer where their system has a problem[3].
Most households take boiler care seriously, with three fifths of users (62%) getting theirs checked at least once a year. One in three households (34%) have had their boiler serviced already this year, and almost a fifth (18%) say they will have had their boiler serviced before winter[5].
Combination boilers work best when the water going to radiators is heated at 60°C or below, but many are set to much higher flow temperatures, costing households more money.
More than half of households (53%) don’t know what flow temperature their boiler is set to. meaning they could be wasting energy if it’s set too high[4]. Only one in ten people (12%) have reduced their flow temperature to save energy[5].
Despite the potential problems that a broken heating system can cause in the depths of winter, only one in six households (16%) have boiler cover[5].
Uswitch.com advises households to check their boilers are working and serviced correctly before winter arrives.
Uswitch tips for getting boilers ready for winter
1. Check if your boiler is working. Many of us have had our heating switched off for six months or so, and you don’t want to wait for the first sudden drop in temperatures to discover your boiler isn’t working. Consider getting it serviced if you haven’t had one in the last 12 months. If you have an older boiler, you may want to consider boiler cover.
2. Change your thermostat and boiler settings. Check the temperature on your thermostat and adjust it if required. The World Health Organisation suggests most healthy people should heat their homes to 18°C. Reducing the flow rate on combination boilers to around 60°C can cut heating bills, and you won’t notice the difference.
3. Change your radiator settings. Get ahead of the first cold spell by checking if your radiators are up to scratch. Bleeding your radiators will prevent cold spots, and you may want to consider turning radiator valves down – or off – in the rooms you use less often. Keep your radiators free from obstructions, like furniture, for maximum heat.
Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Winter is fast approaching, and households are already working out how late they can leave it to turn the heating on.
“Nearly a quarter of people say they’ll turn on the heating later this year to save money on energy bills, and it’s concerning that two million households plan to get through winter without heating.
“If you don’t want to turn the heating on yet, there are cost-effective alternatives for staying warm, like using a portable heater, hot water bottle, or electric blanket.
“There’s nothing worse than having your boiler break down when it’s freezing outside and every engineer is busy, so it makes sense to check your boiler is serviced now.
“If you’ve got a boiler that’s more than five years old, it’s worth looking into boiler cover to protect yourself from any nasty shocks.”
Compare boiler cover at Uswitch.com here.
Notes
Research conducted online by Opinium, 15th to 19th September 2023, among 2,000 UK residents, weighted to be nationally representative.
1. Respondents were asked ‘When did you turn on your heating last year and when will you turn on your heating this year?’ October 12 was the average date for this year, and October 10 was the average date for last year. 385 people said they will put it on in November or later. 385 out of 1274 who know when they’ll turn the heating on = 30%. 30% of 28.1 million UK households = 8.49 million households. 84 out of 1274 who know when they’ll turn the heating on = 6.6%. 6.6% of 28.1 million UK households = 1.9 million households. 125 households say ‘I did not/will not turn my heating on’. 125 / 2000 x 28.1 million households = 1.8 million.
2. Respondents were asked ‘Will you do any of the following this winter as a result of high energy prices?’ 23% said ‘I will push back the date I would normally turn my heating on’.
3. Respondents were asked ‘How often is your boiler usually serviced?’ 6% said ‘I don’t get my boiler serviced.’ 6% of 28.1 million households = 1.56 million. 4% said ‘Only when there is a problem.’ 4% of 28.1 million households = 1.18 million households.
4. Respondents were asked ‘On what setting is the flow temperature for your heating on your combination boiler?’ 865 of the 1643 people with a combi boiler said ‘I don’t know’. 865 / 1643 = 53%.
5. Respondents were asked ‘Which, if any, of the following statements apply to you?’ 34% said ‘My boiler has already been serviced this year’. 16% said ‘I have boiler cover.’ 18% said ‘I have / will book in a boiler service ahead of winter.’ 12% said ‘I have reduced the flow temperature on my combi boiler to reduce energy bills.’
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.