Simon Francis, Author at End Fuel Poverty Coalition

Cold homes figures revealed as Warm Homes Plan is delayed further

Five years into the energy bills crisis, millions of people are still living in cold, damp homes that are making them ill and putting avoidable pressure on the NHS. New polling shows that while headline numbers have barely shifted, people with health conditions and renters remain far more likely to be stuck in unsafe housing, with damp and mould a daily reality for many.

Against this backdrop, the media is reporting that the long-awaited Warm Homes Plan will now be delayed until the New Year. A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“Every week of delay to the Warm Homes Plan means households are stuck in cold, damp homes for longer.

“And every week of delay also means more pressure on the NHS as it has to deal with the health consequences of people living with mould and cold, and delays mean more uncertainty for supply chains who deliver energy efficiency measures.

“After five years of the energy bills crisis and 18 months of a Government elected to deliver a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan, people cannot wait indefinitely for a clear strategy to make homes warmer, safer and cheaper to heat.

“The government must urgently set out when the Warm Homes Plan will be published and, crucially, how it will prioritise support for those in the coldest and most unhealthy homes.

“Warm homes are not a nice-to-have. They are a basic right and a public health necessity.”

Millions still living in cold, damp homes as health inequalities continue

Millions of people across the UK are still living in cold, damp homes, with new research showing that those with existing health conditions remain far more exposed than the general population, deepening health inequalities and adding pressure to the NHS. [1]

As energy bills remain 69% higher than in winter 2020, the latest End Fuel Poverty Coalition polling for 2025 finds that 14% of adults say they live in a cold, damp home, which remains broadly in line with 2023 and 2024 (16%). However, there are stark disparities affecting vulnerable groups.

People with health conditions are significantly more likely to say they live in cold, damp homes in 2025, with rates rising to 22% for people with lung conditions and 25% for people with mental health conditions. The figure also remains high for people with other long-term conditions such as motor neurone disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, at 24%.

Housing tenure also continues to play a major role. One in five renters in the private rented sector say they live in poor conditions.

In cold and damp homes, the presence of mould is an almost ever present issue. More broadly among the general public, the 2025 research shows that 26% of adults report mould in their homes frequently or occasionally in the last 12 months, only a slight fall from 29% in both 2023 and 2024.

People with health conditions face elevated levels (32%), with in particular people with mental health conditions (35%), being more likely to report mould.

With over two fifths (41%) of people still worried about being cold this winter due to the energy crisis, the findings have raised concerns among campaigners that without targeted action, avoidable housing-related illness will continue to burden the NHS, particularly during winter months.

Eilidh Weir is a mother of two who rents a home in Buchlyvie, Scotland. She said: “There’s nothing more miserable than being skint in a cold, damp house.

“I’m a private rental tenant and I used to have storage heaters, but I didn’t use them because they were too expensive. When I found out I was eligible for an air source heat pump to be installed, completely free, I felt really, really pleased that I was able to access that without having a high wage.

“My kids notice the house is cosier now. Being able to make better choices shouldn’t be just for those that have higher incomes.”

Charlotte Higgins is retired and lives in Solihull in the West Midlands and had energy-saving measures fitted by the Solihull Household Support Fund. She said: “The loft insulation has been done, and I’ve had solar panels on the front and the back. It’s made a difference to my heating, and my bills are a lot cheaper.”

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“Five years into the energy bills crisis and households are still waiting for a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan which will set out how people can improve the energy efficiency of their properties and reduce their energy use in a safe way.

“Given the well publicised failings of the previous Government’s insulation schemes, we now need to move even faster to catch up and help people stay warm every winter and cool every summer.

“Meanwhile, for many households, the research highlights the vicious cycle where cold and damp housing worsens existing health conditions, increasing energy needs and making homes harder to heat. This in turn drives further ill health and greater pressure on healthcare services.

“The data underlines the need for long-term solutions that address housing quality and energy affordability together, rather than relying on short-term crisis support, to prevent cold and damp homes becoming a permanent driver of poor health and rising public costs.”

Tom Darling, Director at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said:

“We know that private renters are more likely than other groups to be living in homes with damp or with serious health risks. It’s shocking that so many people are living in homes that put their life at risk – and totally unacceptable that many landlords are profiting from them.

“The government must set out when they will apply Awaab’s law to the private rented sector, as they recently have for social tenants, and finally impose a legal duty on landlords to address dangerous housing conditions within a specific timeframe. Every month without action will see more people harmed by unhealthy homes.”

Andrew McCracken, Director of External Affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

“Millions across the UK are living in homes that could be damaging their health. Cold, damp homes are much more likely to develop mould which can lead to life-threatening flare ups for people with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cause lung conditions in previously healthy individuals. With rising fuel costs and a cost-of-living crisis, too many vulnerable people are being forced to live in unsafe conditions.

“The Government must deliver its Warm Homes Plan with a focus on sustainable heating, well-fitted insulation, and effective ventilation, so that no one has to choose between affordable heating and breathing in clean air. Poor lung health has the closest link with deprivation of all the major health conditions and the UK, shamefully, has the highest death rate in Europe for respiratory conditions.

“We desperately need urgent Government action to support warm homes and protect the health of the most vulnerable people in our society.”

ENDS

[1] Data from Opinium Research. Opinium is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

In 2024, there were 55,022,253 people aged 18 plus in the UK according to ONS. 14% of this figure is 7.7m.

COLD DAMP HOMES
Group	2025	2024	2023
All adults (headline)	14%	16%	16%
Renter (LA)	20%	27%	23%
Private renter	20%	24%	25%
Renter (HA)	13%	21%	19%
Parent with child under 18	17%	22%	20%
Heart condition	17%	25%	24%*
Lung condition	22%	21%
Physical disability	18%	18%
Mental health condition	25%	24%
Other long-term condition	24%	21%

MOULD FREQUENTLY OR OCCASIONALLY
Group	2025	2024	2023
All adults (headline)	26%	29%	29%
Renter (LA)	37%	36%	30%
Private renter	32%	33%	42%
Renter (HA)	30%	35%	37%
Parent with child under 18	29%	35%	35%
Heart condition	31%	23%	36%*
Lung condition	31%	32%
Physical disability	28%	28%
Mental health condition	35%	39%
Other long-term condition	34%	39%
People living in cold, damp homes	75%	73%	78%

* This percentage is of those that had a health condition.

2025: Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,000 UK adults between 25th and 27th November 2025. Results have been weighted to be nationally representative.

2024: Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,000 UK adults between 22nd and 26th November 2024. Results were weighted to be nationally representative.

2023: Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,000 UK adults between 24th and 28th November 2023. Results were weighted to be nationally representative.

Grid reform is welcome, but must not become a blank cheque

Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator have announced the biggest shake-up of Britain’s grid connections process to date, prioritising “shovel-ready” renewable projects and clearing out speculative or stalled applications.

But with network firms and energy generators having made billions during the energy crisis, much of it flowing to offshore ‘vampire funds’, campaigners are demanding a just transition that puts people before profits, a focus on community energy projects and delivering fairer bills for households.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:
“Reforming the grid connection system a necessary move that will help unlock cheaper, cleaner, homegrown energy and bring us closer to an energy system that ends fuel poverty.

“But faster grid access must be matched by real accountability for how network firms and energy generators spend and profit. These companies have made billions during the energy crisis — with profits flowing to offshore investors and so-called ‘vampire funds’.

“This reform must not become an excuse for blank cheque infrastructure spending that inflates standing charges while delivering poor value for households.

“And it must be a fair process, so it’s not just a case of those projects with a healthy lobbying budget get preferential treatment. Community energy projects, which deliver cheaper power for customers and have local control and accountability built in, must not be excluded or pushed to the bottom of the queue.

“To truly fix Britain’s broken energy system, we need grid reform, fair pricing, investment in energy efficiency and a social tariff to ensure the transition benefits everyone — not just big investors.”

Grid investment is vital, but not at any cost

Ofgem has announced that £28bn will be spent over the next five years on Britain’s gas and electricity networks, but this could rise to £90bn.

Overall, Ofgem estimates that the net increase in bills to cover costs by 2031 will be around £3 per month. But this could be more in the short-term, falling in the longer term. Of the initial money announced, the majority of the funding (£17.8bn) will go towards maintaining Britain’s ageing gas networks.

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition profits tracker estimated that over £50bn of profits have been generated by electricity and gas transmission and distribution firms since 2020.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“With the North Sea running out of gas and after years of under investment, upgrades to Britain’s energy grids are vital to ensure a reliable energy supply and to help homes benefit from renewables as they come online.

“But that shouldn’t mean signing a blank cheque for network and transmission companies. These vast sums of essentially public money must come with proper scrutiny and guarantees for consumers.

“These firms have already made billions in profits during the energy crisis, with significant returns flowing to offshore investors and so-called ‘vampire funds’.

“Households can’t keep footing the bill while private equity profits. Every penny added to customers’ bills must be spent delivering clear value for money and actively helping to reduce the cost of energy in the long-term and ensure energy security.”

Energy Profits Levy retained as households still face high bills

The Chancellor’s decision to keep the Energy Profits Levy has been met with fierce opposition from parts of the energy industry, despite falling revenues from the tax.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition commented:

“The Chancellor was right to maintain the Energy Profits Levy and then reform it after the current period ends. Given tax rises elsewhere in the budget, it would have been perverse to have then handed a tax break to companies that are making extraordinary profits during the crisis.

“Given that the North Sea will naturally run out of gas, more drilling won’t make energy cheaper or the country more energy secure. But as the gas industry declines, it is vital that workers and communities affected by the changing energy mix are properly supported.

“Even with the changes announced in the Budget, we still expect that from April 2026, average energy bills will be hundreds of pounds higher than they were in winter 2020/2021.

“And in Scotland, we will see a real terms reduction in the funding available for vital energy efficiency measures with the scrapping of the ECO levy, which we would urge the Chancellor to address with the receipts from the Windfall Tax.

“The millions of households who will still be struggling with the cost of energy need further bold action from Governments in Westminster and Holyrood in reform of energy pricing, targeting energy bill support at those who need it, and in creating an ambitious Warm Homes Plan to upgrade cold, damp homes.”

Energy bills to fall next spring, but cold homes remain a national challenge

Today’s Budget brings a modest but welcome reduction in energy bills. After five turbulent years, any drop in costs offers relief to households who have been stretched to breaking point. Our analysis suggests the average bill will fall to around £1,665 from April 2026 — a step in the right direction and recognition that further action on affordability is needed.

But the job is far from done. Bills will still be significantly higher than before the crisis and the UK now faces a 25% shortfall in energy efficiency funding with the end of the ECO scheme. Without restoring long-term investment in warm homes and reforming the way energy is priced, millions will continue to face unnecessary hardship.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition commented:
“Any reduction in energy bills will be welcome as households face their fifth winter of the energy costs crisis and the Government is right to be investing in the Warm Homes Plan to help improve the energy efficiency of peoples’ homes.

“But no one can warm their home with Budget headlines, and the Chancellor’s statement also highlights the scale of the challenge.

“Even with the changes announced, we expect that from April 2026, average energy bills will still be hundreds of pounds higher than they were in winter 2020/2021 and £97 higher than at the General Election.*

“The millions of households who will still be struggling with the cost of energy need further bold action from the Government in reform of energy pricing, targeting energy bill support at those who need it, delivering on a new fuel poverty strategy and in creating an ambitious Warm Homes Plan to upgrade cold, damp homes.

“And we’d also urge the Chancellor to address a c.25% projected shortfall in total energy efficiency funding in future budgets after the ECO scheme is scrapped.”

* End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimates based on the current price cap, the Ofgem 1 January price cap announcement, industry analysts forecasts and the Chancellor’s statement / Budget documents. Price cap comparison points:

01/01/2021 — £1,042
01/07/2024 — £1,568
01/10/2025 — £1,755
01/01/2026 — £1,758
01/04/2026 — £1,665

Another Winter, same crisis: Energy bills stay high as profits soar

As the UK braces for another winter of cold weather warnings, the Ofgem price cap for January to March 2026 has been announced.

Average energy bills will come in at £1,758. This is £3 higher than current levels, with bills remaining over £700 above 2020 levels and £190 higher than at the General Election in July 2024.

Meanwhile the energy industry has posted more than £40bn in UK profits in the last two years. With the Budget days away, the Government faces a defining choice.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:
“Energy bills remain stubbornly high as households face a fifth winter of the energy costs crisis. Today’s announcement sees standing charges rise yet again, highlighting the structural challenges in how energy is paid for.

“The addition of a new levy on bills which pays for nuclear power stations is unwelcome and could have been delayed until closer to when these plants actually start to generate electricity.

“Today’s Ofgem announcement keeps the average energy bill at almost £700 above the levels of winter 2020/21 and £190 more than at the 2024 General Election.

“Despite many people living in cold damp homes, the energy industry has posted more than £125 billion in profits in the UK alone in recent years.

“Yet some business lobbyists have called for the Chancellor to end the Windfall Tax. Instead, next week’s Budget is a chance for the Government to finally get serious about ending fuel poverty.

“We need long-term investment in energy efficiency, not short-term thinking. We need action to bring down electricity prices, not excuses. And we need a fair tax regime that puts people before profiteers.

“If the Government truly wants to cut bills and protect the public, it must fully fund the Warm Homes Plan, continue to improve our energy security, introduce a fair social tariff, and reform our broken energy pricing system.”

Energy bills could remain £691 a year higher than 2020

Media reports suggest average household energy bills might drop slightly from 1 January 2026. Experts at Cornwall Insight have said that the Ofgem price cap is expected to dip by 1%, taking an average bill to £1,733 a year.

This figure remains £691 higher than before the energy bills crisis started.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:
“As cold weather warnings are issued across the UK, energy bills remain at crisis levels while energy giants have generated over £125 billion in profits on their UK operations since the energy crisis started.

“Millions of households are already rationing their heating to stay afloat, and with temperatures dropping sharply the risks to people’s health and safety are becoming severe.

“After five winters of sky-high bills, families cannot be expected to cope with this alone. We urgently need reduced electricity bills and targeted financial support for those most at risk, alongside a fully funded national programme of insulation and energy-efficiency upgrades to keep homes warm.”

Ministers urged to clarify energy efficiency support funds

More people will get money off technology that keeps their homes warm in winter and cool in summer after the Government has announced plans to expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

This currently offers grants of £7,500 off the cost of installing an air source or ground source heat pump, now the scheme has been expanded to offer a £2,500 discount off the cost of installing an air-to-air heat pump, which can provide heat in winter and air conditioning in summer.

The grants are available to all households and form part of the government’s £13.2 billion Warm Homes Plan, rather than being funded in addition to this budget as previously expected.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:
“The Government doesn’t seem to know if it is coming or going.

“One week they are briefing the media that energy efficiency budgets may be slashed in the Budget. The next they are talking up heat pumps and calling for households to apply for support.

“Households struggling with the fifth winter of high energy bills need to know what help will be available to them to keep their homes warm in winter and cool in summer.

“The Government’s Warm Homes Plan and fuel poverty strategies need to be published without any further delay so households know where they stand and industry can ensure enough skilled workers are trained.”