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.”