New wood-burning stoves in the UK will be required to carry health warnings similar to those on cigarette packets, under government plans to tackle air pollution. The proposed measures, outlined in a UK-wide consultation, aim to inform consumers about the harmful effects of burning solid fuels on health and the environment.
The warnings would state: “Please be aware that this appliance emits air pollution into and around your home which can harm your health.” Wood sold for burning would also carry a label reading: “Burning in the home leads to air pollution which has a negative impact on the health of you and your family.” Additionally, the energy efficiency of stoves would be rated from A to C.
Ministers have proposed cutting the smoke emission limit for new stoves from 5g per hour to 1g per hour, an 80% reduction. However, around 70% of stoves tested since 2018 already meet this stricter limit, and the new standard would only apply to new stoves, not existing ones. The measure is expected to reduce annual toxic emissions from wood burning by just 10% over the next decade.
Air pollution from domestic burning is one of the UK’s largest sources of fine particles, contributing 20% of total emissions—roughly equal to road transport. These fine particles are the most dangerous air pollutant for human health, linked to 2,500 early deaths, 3,700 cases of diabetes, and 1,500 cases of asthma annually in the UK. About 12% of households use wood burners, but over 90% have alternative heating sources, often using stoves for aesthetic reasons.
Clean air campaigners criticised the proposals as insufficient. Larissa Lockwood of Global Action Plan said: “A less polluting stove is like a low tar cigarette: it’s slightly better for your health, but still significantly worse than not using them in the first place.” Jemima Hartshorn from Mums for Lungs added: “Non-essential wood burning needs to end. The consultation does not go far enough—it only addresses new stoves and ignores existing ones.”
The consultation also proposes increasing fines for selling insufficiently dry wood from £300 to £2,000, as damp wood produces more pollution. However, research found no prosecutions for illegal wood burning in England in the year to August 2025, despite 15,195 complaints, with only 24 fines issued. The new standards would take effect three to five years after the law is passed.
