Warm Homes Plan Archives - End Fuel Poverty Coalition

Cold crisis as one in three struggle to heat their homes

Figures show that 29% of adults are unable to keep their home at the recommended minimum temperature of 18°C, the level advised by World Health Organisation experts to reduce the risk of illness.

Reports in the Express reveal that among those affected are around 3.2m (23%) older people (aged 65+) who say they struggle to keep their home warm enough.

As energy bills remain 69% higher than in winter 2020, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition polling from Opinium shows that the problem is particularly acute among households on incomes below £40,000 and people living with long-term health conditions, including lung conditions and physical disabilities.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“It’s shocking that after years of warnings, so many people are still stuck in homes that put their health at risk. No one should be facing winter worried about whether their home is warm enough.

“We urgently need to see further action to bring down the cost of energy in the new year, especially on electricity which is homegrown and should be much cheaper than it currently is.

“One sign of hope is that we know that households are taking action to look at how they can make their homes more energy efficient, but they need help to do this. Every week of delay to the Government’s much promised Warm Homes Plan means households are stuck in cold, damp homes for longer.”

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.”

Jan Shortt, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention said: “With energy bills hundreds of pounds a year higher than they were in 2020, there is a real danger of older people falling ill through living in cold, damp homes.

“Whilst some older people receive the winter fuel payment, others do not. Some receive the warm homes discount on their bill, others do not. Even with this small income, it is hard to keep a house warm in really cold, wintry weather.

“The cost of energy has another cost – that of overflowing A&E departments, wards and GP surgeries. Not being able to heat your home does not just mean you are susceptible to colds and flu but also to respiratory conditions, heart disease, arthritis and other health conditions that demand individuals keep warm.

“We need to ensure that everything is being done to insulate homes, find alternative and sustainable sources of energy.”

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.”

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.

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

Cuts of 40% to energy efficiency measures considered by Chancellor

Reports in the media suggest that the Chancellor is set to raid the funding for its flagship Warm Homes Plan to pay for energy bill reductions.

The breakdown of the £13.2bn Warm Homes Plan funding was due to be announced last month and was expected to include additional support for social housing, heat pumps, home upgrade loans and local authority-led retrofit schemes.

At the Comprehensive Spending Review, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition stressed that this £13.2bn must be addition to the c.£8.5bn (over 5 years) budget for existing schemes like the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). The Coalition wrote to Ministers [pdf] setting out reforms needed to this scheme following a critical National Audit Office report and has in the past called for this to be funded via general taxation.

However, the proposals briefed to the Guardian would effectively substitute parts of the Warm Homes Plan for existing schemes. This would essentially reduce the total £21.7bn energy efficiency pot by 40% over 5 years, harming the very efforts that would help to bring down bills in the long term and help end the suffering of people living in cold damp homes.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented

“Any cuts to the Warm Homes Plan or other programmes to improve housing conditions would be a short-sighted act of betrayal by the Chancellor.

“These electorally popular policies can help bring down energy usage in a safe way and improve the energy efficiency of the homes of people in fuel poverty.

“We obviously understand the urgent need to cut energy bills, but the Chancellor – who previously brought us the Winter Fuel Payment fiasco – appears to be listening to the wrong people.

“It is entirely possible for the Government to help reduce energy bills, but Ministers need to look in the right place for changes.

“Given that between a quarter and a third of the average energy bill is profit for different parts of the energy industry, the Chancellor should look at how the Windfall Tax could be improved, rather than giving tax breaks to energy firms as she is being lobbied to do.

“Other ways to bring down bills include addressing electricity pricing and inefficiencies in the market, using public investment to help fund grid upgrades and real reform of standing charges. We would be happy to talk to the Chancellor about our recommendations.”

The industry trade body, Energy UK, has also set out economic reasons why this move could harm efforts to improve cold damp homes.

MPs back major reforms to energy bill support

MPs on the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee have backed a series of reforms to make the energy system fairer and support households facing a fifth winter of high bills.

In a major report on tackling the energy cost crisis, MPs recommended a permanent energy debt relief scheme funded through energy sector excess profits, automatic support for vulnerable households, a social tariff for energy and reforms to the Warm Home Discount.

The Committee also called for urgent action to fix unfair standing charges, improve data sharing to target support and overhaul Cold Weather Payments to ensure help reaches those who need it when temperatures drop.

Crucially, the Committee echoed the Coalition’s warnings about the growing energy debt crisis and proposed a structured, long-term solution to write off unpayable arrears without passing costs onto billpayers.

It also urged the Government and Ofgem to act quickly to rebuild trust in the energy market, strengthen consumer protections and ensure households are not penalised for reducing gas use as the energy system transitions.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“This report should be used to mark a turning point in the fight to end the energy cost crisis. The cross-party group of MPs have recognised what millions of households already know – our energy system has been stacked against people struggling to heat their homes and urgent change is needed.

“We are particularly pleased that MPs have backed the principle of energy debt relief funded through excess profits in the sector, alongside a social tariff, reforms to standing charges and improvements to the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments. These are landmark recommendations that could protect the most vulnerable.

“As this report makes clear, warm homes must be treated as a public health priority, with fair pricing, modernised winter protections, social tariffs and stronger rights for renters.

“If the Government is serious about implementing change, the Warm Homes Plan announced next month must be the first step. That means a £13.2 billion plan to create warmer and safer homes for those most in need, independent quality checks, skilled green jobs, trusted local advice services and prioritisation of the lowest-income households in the coldest homes.”

In responses to Government consultations, charities and fuel poverty experts have set out the key tests the Government’s forthcoming Warm Homes Plan and Fuel Poverty Strategy must meet. These include:

Treating warm, safe housing as a public health priority and retain the target to end fuel poverty by 2030
Adopting a 10% fuel poverty measure (after housing costs)
Committing to a 10-year national retrofit programme, agreed across parties, backed by skilled jobs, apprenticeships and national standards
Prioritising the Worst First — low-income households in the coldest, least efficient homes
Guaranteeing independent retrofit assessment, performance monitoring and consumer protections
Providing free, trusted local advice services and one-stop-shops for households
Funding delivery through public spending, not new levies on bills
Introducing targeted financial support including modernised cold weather payments and social tariffs
Empowering local authorities with data access and funding to lead street-by-street schemes
Protecting tenants from “retrovictions” and unfair rent rises

The spokesperson added:
“Warm homes are a basic right. This must be the moment the Government finally commits to a long-term plan to end fuel poverty — not just improve averages or fund short-term schemes.

“We need a decade-long Warm Homes Plan that delivers real-world warmth, safety and affordable bills, backed by independent quality checks, trusted advice and proper protection for tenants and consumers.

“After years of delays and stop-start programmes, it’s time to get on with delivery and ensure support reaches those in deepest need first.”

ENDS

The full report can be read here: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmselect/cmesnz/736/report.html

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition’s evidence to the inquiry can be read online.

Lessons must be learned from the NAO’s damning insulation report

The National Audit Office has found that poor oversight of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) allowed sub-standard contractors to install faulty insulation in thousands of homes.

98% of homes that had external wall insulation installed under the schemes run by the previous government have problems and 29% of homes that were given internal insulation also need it fixing.

This amounts to around tens of thousands of installations that may have been defective, leaving households in cold, damp conditions.

Anyone affected by the scandal should contact the Ofgem ECO helpline on 0808 169 4447 or ECOhelp@ofgem.gov.uk.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition commented:

“The report reveals a system that has let cowboys through the front door, leaving thousands of victims living in misery and undermining public trust in efforts to tackle the cold damp homes crisis facing many households.

“Insulation and ventilation, when done properly, are among the safest and most effective ways to bring down energy bills and keep people warm. But sub-standard delivery and weak oversight by the last Government has turned what should have been a national success story into a cautionary tale.

“Now we need to fix the system, not abandon it.

“The government’s Warm Homes Plan must guarantee quality, with properly trained installers, independent inspections and rapid remediation if things go wrong.

“Only by getting insulation right, alongside a clear plan to move homes off volatile gas prices and targeted financial help for those struggling with their bills, can we end the scourge of cold, damp homes once and for all.”

James Dyson, Senior Researcher at E3G added:

“Every person who has been failed by this scheme deserved better; a warmer home which is cheaper to heat, delivered by competent tradespeople.

“Instead, the Conservatives’ time in office has delivered the British public yet another systemic failure in our public services. Everyone washed their hands of responsibility, from the government watchdog to energy companies and cowboy builders.

“The new government has a chance to put things right, it must move urgently to help the people affected to repair their homes at no extra cost and put in place high insulation standards to ensure this never happens again.”

Meanwhile Fuel Poverty Action’s Jonathan Bean said:

“This scandal exposes shocking levels of negligence by Government, Ofgem, Trustmark and energy firms. They have allowed rogue contractors… to exploit the £4 billion added to our energy bills [to pay for the scheme], and damage the homes of tens of thousands of mostly vulnerable people.

“Instead of the warm homes and lower bills Government promised, people had their homes and lives destroyed.

“Now [we see] a weak Government response, allowing the scheme to continue, only checking some homes and measures, and fixing even fewer.

“Decisive action is needed instead. All homes must be checked, and all damage and faults fixed. Not just insulation, also roofs that have been damaged by solar panels and heat pumps that don’t work properly. ECO4 should be halted and replaced by a scheme with proper quality control and protections for residents. Victims must not be left suffering through another winter in cold, damp, damaged homes whilst cowboy contractors enjoy their huge profits.”

Anyone with poorly installed ECO4 work in their home can also contact Fuel Poverty Action via its website to take action.

Chief executive of charity Severn Wye, Sandy Ruthven MBE, commented:
“The figures are eye-watering but by themselves don’t tell the full story of fuel poverty and the experience of day-to-day living in a cold, damp and unhealthy home.

“External wall insulation is fitted to homes that have solid walls. Done well, it keeps heat in and cold out, but done badly it creates ideal conditions for damp and mould to grow inside. This is an unsightly nuisance at best but can be an immediate threat to health and in extreme cases can kill.

“The report’s findings that almost all external wall insulation and nearly one third of internal wall insulation need repair is hard to comprehend. But we know from the calls we receive into our advice line and home visits, that coping with shoddy installations has a devastating impact on health and wellbeing.”

Labour Party conference ends with focus on energy bills

The Energy Secretary has announced initiatives to try and bring down energy bills, boost green jobs and ban fracking at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

On the day that the average energy bill rose by 2.21% year-on-year rise (now 68% or £713 a year higher than in the winter of 2020-21), Government ministers have pointed to the work to deliver more renewables and “in the coming weeks” an announcement on the biggest home upgrade programme in British history.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:
“The Government is right to fight for homegrown, clean energy. The North Sea is running dry – even with new fields, the UK won’t produce enough gas to heat our homes by 2027. What’s more, fracking is unsafe, unpopular and unable to meaningfully reduce energy bills.

“So ramping up clean power is the only way to bring our bills down in the long term while providing a secure energy future.

“But as we approach a fifth winter of the energy bills crisis, households are struggling to cope with bills which remain hundreds of pounds a year above where they were in winter 2020/21 and energy debt is now at record levels. Meanwhile, new analysis from the Common Wealth think tank suggests that around 24% of every household energy bill is taken as profit by the energy industry.

“This is why we need action to provide more support to those who need it the most alongside improved energy efficiency and lower bills for households now.”

Two million households won’t turn on their heating this winter

More than two million households say they won’t turn on their heating this winter, an increase on last year, reveals new Uswitch research.

Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, a spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said:

“Not turning on your heating is an example of what we call dangerous behaviours. Being unable to heat your home properly is unsafe – it risks your health and leads to damp and mould, which make conditions even worse. Around 200,000 households in Scotland face this extreme form of fuel poverty, but the problem is far wider, with almost half a million Scottish households spending over 20% of their income on energy.”

Across the UK as a whole, over 12 million households spend more than 10% of their income on energy (43%) and around 5 million spend more than 20% on energy bills.

The spokesperson urged households to be alert to scams and to contact their energy supplier to check if they need to apply for the Warm Home Discount (see this Money Saving Expert advice) and other vital support with the cost of energy.

“While support such as the Warm Home Discount and winter heating or winter fuel payments can provide short-term relief, we cannot keep papering over the cracks each year. We need urgent investment in insulation and home upgrades, alongside reform of how energy is priced, so people can live in warm, safe homes without relying on volatile gas imports.”

Renters forced to ration gas and electricity

New research from Citizens Advice finds more than two in five private renters (41%, equivalent to 4.5 million people) in England and Wales had to ration gas and electricity to afford their energy bills last winter.

Meanwhile a third (32%, equivalent to 3.5 million) struggled to heat their home to a comfortable temperature. The charity says this forced people to take drastic measures like skip hot meals, wear gloves inside, and limit heating to just one room.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition commented:

“Millions of renters are being forced to ration energy, live in cold, damp homes, or even skip hot meals simply because landlords are not required to upgrade properties to a decent standard. At the same time, household energy debt has tripled in the last decade, with people falling behind on bills they can no longer afford.

“The government cannot continue to delay action.

“It must urgently deliver on its promises to raise minimum standards in the rented sector and provide greater protections for private renters through the Renters Reform Bill.

“Alongside that, we need targeted financial help for households with their energy costs, a national programme of area-based insulation upgrades and reforms to electricity pricing to bring down bills.

“Without these reforms tenants will remain trapped in cold, damp homes with devastating consequences for health, wellbeing and household finances.”