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Energy use in the home accounts for 14% of UK emissions and UK homes are the most poorly insulated in Europe.
Insulating buildings is vitally important to save energy. Measures like installing cavity wall insulation could help reduce your bills by up to 20% and reduce your emissions by more than half. Any insulation you invest in now will pay you back in energy savings in a few years. 15% of the heat is lost through drafts
If you have a newly built home don't assume it is efficient. According to Greenpeace “One of the reasons the UK uses so much gas is that, as well as having one of the oldest, most inefficient housing stocks in Europe, we’re also failing miserably at building better homes – just 1.8% of new homes in England meet the top efficiency rating, which means the other 98.2% need more energy to heat.” Before you buy a new home find out how well insulated it is and save yourself a lot of money. Home builders are not going to build their homes with energy efficiency in mind unless buyers demand it.
If you already have a well-insulated home you might want to install solar panels. Your solar panels will probably pay for themselves in around 10 years. And they'll keep generating heat or electricity for decades.
HOW TO GET COSY
Try some energy-saving tips, and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. The Energy Saving Trust has lots of ideas.
Don't waste energy through poor insulation or unnecessary use. Good insulation will save you money long term.
The Welsh government has an initiative called Nest. The Nest scheme offers a range of free, impartial advice and, if you are eligible, a package of free home energy efficiency improvements such as a new boiler, central heating, insulation, or solar panels. This can lower your energy bills and benefit your health and wellbeing.
Maybe you can invest in generating your own renewable energy, but if not we can all switch to a green energy supplier.
UNITED FOR WARM HOMES
Use Your Voice!
Britain faces a crisis this winter. As energy prices rise even higher, it’s estimated a staggering 1 in 3 households will be in fuel poverty. Meaning millions will be left to make impossible choices between heating and eating.
Impacts of fuel poverty are worsened by the fact UK homes are especially vulnerable to cold. We have some of the leakiest homes in Europe with millions lacking basic insulation.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Home insulation would reduce our spending on energy bills without compromising on warmth. That’s why we’re calling for a free, government-funded home insulation programme. To be rolled out street-by-street by local councils, prioritising low-income households who need it most.
It’s critical the government starts investing in insulation now to prevent devastating choices this winter and in future years.
3 organisations are working together to demand action - find out more and add your voice to demand urgent government action by clicking on the buttons below.
