Millions of households could save up to £550 a year on heating bills with home insulation

UK homes lose heat three times faster on average than those in Norway or Germany. This is largely due to poor insulation, which means more energy—and money—escapes trying to keep homes warm.

The latest stats from OVO show that, despite government incentives such as the Great British Insulation Scheme (https://www.ovoenergy.com/great-british-insulation-scheme) (GBIS), millions of households are still missing out on huge energy savings by simply not having the right insulation in their homes.

OVO’s analysis of EPC data shows that 3.8 million households could save between £200-£380 a year just by installing roof insulation. Greater London and the south east of England are currently highlighted as missing out the most, with around 16% of eligible households in those areas left out in the cold.

Over 2 million households in the UK could benefit from solid wall insulation, and estimated energy savings of £150-£550 a year. London leads the pack for having the highest number of households that are eligible for roof or loft insulation, accounting for almost a fifth (19%) of the UK’s insulation gap.

At least 1.4 million households across the UK could save£110-£410 a year on energy bills by installing cavity wall insulation. Over a third (35%) of eligible households that would benefit from this type of insulation are based in the north west and south east of England.

With around 1 in 5 households renting in the UK, much of the responsibility for making homes more energy-efficient falls on landlords. This makes the UK government’s commitment to improve rented properties’ energy efficiency all the more critical. By 2030, all rental properties must have a minimum energy efficiency rating of EPC C, ensuring homes are better insulated and easier to heat.

But, crucially, many older UK households currently have outdated EPC data, meaning there could be millions of additional households that would benefit from one or more of the above types of insulation.

With better insulation, UK households can lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint, making homes more comfortable and sustainable year-round.

Visit OVO’s home insulation guide (https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/home-insulation-guide) for more information.