Tag: Health

Energy affordability and more insulation will support the NHS say medics

Over two thirds (68%) of UK health workers say high energy bills contribute to avoidable hospital admissions according to new research by campaign group Medact.

Forty-five per cent have sent patients home knowing that their housing situation would make them ill again.

Seven out of ten health workers (70%) regularly see patients forced to go without energy because they are unable to pay their bills and of these, nearly a third (30%) report witnessing this weekly.

Over two thirds (68%) of UK health workers say high energy bills contribute to avoidable hospital admissions. Forty-five per cent have sent patients home knowing that their housing situation would make them ill again.

Ofgem recently announced that the energy price cap for April to June will increase by 6.4%, bringing the average annual energy bill to £1,849. Compared to winter 2020/21, this represents a 77% increase, or over £800 more per year per household.

Cold homes contribute to respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues, dementia, and hypothermia—and significantly slow recovery from injury.

According to this new data, almost three quarters (72%) of health workers believe poor-quality housing worsens chronic health conditions or delays treatment of them, and two thirds (67%) see children experiencing respiratory problems caused or worsened by mould or damp regularly (at least once a month).

Over half believe that addressing energy affordability (67%) and improving energy efficiency (59%) would reduce the impact of housing problems on the NHS.

Over half (53%) of health workers also report their own mental or physical health has been impacted by housing issues. In addition, one in four believe that the health impacts of housing problems put plans to improve the NHS at risk.

Dr LJ Smith, a respiratory consultant working in London, said:

“Every single day I treat patients whose lung conditions are entirely preventable, but they tell me their homes are cold, mouldy and damp, and they just cannot afford to keep the heating on. As a healthcare worker I shouldn’t need a detailed knowledge of energy tariffs and benefits –I just want to get back to the job I was trained to do, working with my patients to help them thrive despite their lung condition. This is a public health crisis that is entirely preventable, with solutions that lie outside the NHS.”

Dr Sabrina Monteregge, clinical psychologist working in London said:

“We can fund the NHS but if that’s not alongside funding healthy homes, we’re not going to get very far, because we are just constantly treating problems that the NHS is not built for. The NHS is on its knees, but it was never meant to stand alone – it must work alongside policies that support public health.”

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“These shocking findings depict the front-line, public health crisis caused by high energy costs and poorly insulated homes.

“Expert reports have long made the link between living in cold damp homes and medical problems, but this research brings home the real-life situations that people are facing.

“We need bolder action from the government to address this crisis – that means all government departments working together to see fuel poverty as a national challenge. And it means the Chancellor backing moves to tackle the problem, such as committing the full £13.2bn funding needed for the Warm Homes Plan.”

ENDS

Opinion poll was conducted by Survation. 2,128 healthcare workers were surveyed, aged 18+ in the UK, between 28th January and 3rd February 2025. Of these, 1,773 were in patient-facing roles.  These findings will be a part of a report to be released by Medact in March. Medact is a public health campaigning organisation whose members are made up of health workers from across the UK.

High temperatures herald health fears for millions

4.5 million adults (8% of the population) have been so hot in their home that it has made them unwell in the last 12 months according to new data released by energy efficiency campaigners. [1]

The issue is now becoming such a concern that it has been dubbed the ‘Hot House Syndrome’.

The research by Opinium reveals that among specific groups, there is a much higher incidence of ill-health caused by high heat among those with preexisting health conditions or disabilities (15%).

The UK’s Adverse Weather and Health Plan warns that “there is clear evidence of increased risk from heat and cold exposure for some” and in 2023, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) / University of Glasgow’s Hot Homes project revealed how poor quality housing acts like a “greenhouse” for residents trapped in “stifling” and “unlivable” homes.

Fiona Waters, spokesperson for the Warm This Winter said: 

“Hot House Syndrome is a real problem caused by the UK’s appalling housing stock and affects the poorest and the vulnerable the most. The same people who suffer from damp, mouldy homes in winter are stifled in summer when the sun comes out.

“That’s because the solutions to keep us warm in the colder weather are the same as keeping us cool in summer. Better insulation, ventilation and even heat pumps that can operate in a cooling mode can all help. But the public need financial support to upgrade their homes.”

Dr Isobel Braithwaite, Public Health Doctor and housing researcher, commented:

“The complications arising from being too warm are especially dangerous among those with pre-existing health conditions and can contribute to summer being as dangerous to health as the winter in some cases.

“This research has also highlighted, for the first time, some unique insights into other groups who may be more likely to be affected by the problem.

“We know cities, and particularly bigger cities, can be on average a few degrees hotter than the surrounding countryside, hence more heat-health risks. This is often coupled with poorer-quality housing in some urban areas.”

Previous analysis has shown that low income areas are particularly vulnerable to summer heat and the new figures expand on this to also reveal that those renting from private landlords are the most likely to suffer from one of the issues related to keeping cool in summer.

The new Opinium data also indicated that people aged 18-34, those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups and those who rent from private landlords were more likely to experience heat related ill-health.

Despite public knowledge that proper home insulation keeps homes cool in summer and winter (72% are aware), previous research has found that four in ten households can’t afford to insulate their homes and need Government support.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“The new Government will need to act quickly to improve housing standards and roll out a turbocharged programme to install more insulation and ventilation measures, especially among lower quality housing stock.”

Among the general public, 52% fully support formalised government programmes for insulation and ventilation with just 11% opposing such a plan.

Meanwhile the independent Climate Change Committee warns that “as the UK’s climate changes in the coming decades, periods of high temperature will become more common and more intense. As recent heat waves have demonstrated, high temperatures are a dangerous threat to health and wellbeing and reduce economic productivity.”

Matthew Scott, from the Chartered Institute of Housing, commented:

“The summer heatwaves of recent years offer a glimpse of what normal summer temperatures might look like in the future. 

“As our world warms, this research adds to the growing body of evidence that energy efficiency and retrofit is crucial for making sure people can stay cool and healthy at home, as well as warm.”  

Dr Braithwaite added:

“Whether you’re in a large city or a rural area, part of the solution to ill-health caused by heat is to ensure homes are well ventilated and insulated. This helps keep people cool in summer and warm in winter.

“Without action, heatwaves in the future will herald health fears for millions.”

At the Centre for Sustainable Energy, experts have provided low cost advice on how to keep your home cool, but as Ian Preston from the CSE adds:

“A well-insulated and ventilated home will actually help with keeping the heat out too. If you’re able to invest in insulation do so, just make sure ventilation is considered at the same time.”

Around half of the population isn’t adversely affected by excess summer heat, but for those that do suffer, problems with sleep (31%) and the cost of keeping their homes at a reasonable temperature (17%) were among the most common issues experienced in the last 12 months.

Seven measures that can help those affected in the short term, include.

  1. If you have a fan you can use it. People are put off by the cost but the average fan uses less than 100 watts of energy so costs around 3p per hour. 
  2. Keep windows shut and curtains closed in rooms that get the sun.
  3. Keep bowls of water around your home.
  4. Use appliances carefully as kettles, ovens and even fridges can create extra heat.
  5. Cooler rooms tend to be north facing and can provide a welcome respite or place to live for the more vulnerable during a heatwave.
  6. Use a sheet instead of a duvet for humid nights.
  7. Cool your body down by putting your feet in cool water or putting a cold towel over your shoulders. 

ENDS
[1] Opinium conducted an online survey of 2,185 nationally and politically representative UK adults between 29th and 31st May 2024. On a nationally representative sample of 2,185 UK adults, 184 have been so hot in their home that they have been unwell in the last 12 months. 184/21