Up to 1.7 million UK households will not turn on their heating this winter to save money, as a record El Niño threatens to bring extreme weather. A poll for Uswitch found that only 40% of households plan to switch on heating if they get too cold. Instead, half of households will rely on hot water bottles, blankets, and extra layers to stay warm.
Godzilla El Niño weather threat
This comes as the “Godzilla” El Niño weather phenomenon threatens to bring stormier and colder temperatures to the UK. Following the hottest summer on record, temperatures are set to drop as the country prepares for icy weather and freezing conditions.
In London, the Met Office has warned that the forthcoming El Niño could be worse than the 2015/2016 event. Previous El Niños saw Storm Katie and Storm Desmond cause havoc across the UK, with record-breaking rainfall and flooding in Lancashire and Cumbria. The capital was particularly affected by Storm Katie, which bent a construction crane in Greenwich and damaged dozens of roofs.
Energy bills and household concerns
While the first part of winter is likely to be frosty and wet, it remains unclear what El Niño could mean later on. Meteorologists have also warned that a polar vortex in the Arctic could bring icy weather and freezing temperatures to the capital.
Britons remain concerned that rising energy bills will prevent them from switching on their heating. A quarter (28%) said rising energy bills had made heating unaffordable, while forecasters warn that bills could soar by another £300 from January following a 4% hike to Ofgem’s energy price cap in October.
Household heating habits
Nearly 6% of households will leave the heating off altogether, with more than a third of those people saying they could afford to heat their homes, but would rather save money. Almost a third of people (29%) will selectively heat rooms in their home, while 18% will hold off switching on the heating until later in the year.
Campaigners across the UK have urged the government to make plans to support all households with energy costs. Uswitch energy spokesman Ben Gallizzi said: “It’s alarming to see so many households already planning to go without heating this winter, before the coldest months have even arrived.
“Energy costs have just increased and are set to rise again in January, so this will be a tough winter for many – and it makes sense that many will be looking at ways to cut their energy usage.
“Despite higher energy costs, it’s really important that households don’t simply sit in the cold.”
Healthy adults should aim for a minimum indoor temperature of 18C, while vulnerable groups, including infants and the elderly, should aim for 20C.
