New wood-burning stoves will be required to carry health warnings under UK government plans to tackle air pollution. The proposed labels would state that burning solid fuels emits harmful pollution, and stoves would also be rated for energy efficiency from A to C.
Ministers have also proposed cutting the smoke emission limit for new stoves from 5g per hour to 1g per hour – an 80% reduction. However, the measure would only apply to new appliances, and most stoves tested since 2018 already meet the stricter limit. The government estimates the change would cut toxic emissions from wood burning by just 10% over the next decade.
Clean air campaigners have criticised the proposals for ignoring the millions of existing stoves. Larissa Lockwood of Global Action Plan compared less polluting stoves to 'low-tar cigarettes', saying they are slightly less harmful but still dangerous. 'We want to see further action to ensure everyone can access cleaner heating,' she said.
Wood burning in homes is responsible for 20% of fine particle pollution in the UK – about the same as all road transport – and is linked to 2,500 early deaths annually, as well as thousands of cases of diabetes and asthma. Around 12% of households use wood burners, but more than 90% have alternative heating and use them mainly for aesthetics.
The consultation also proposes health warnings on bags of wood sold for burning and an increase in the fine for selling insufficiently dry wood from £300 to £2,000. Air quality minister Emma Hardy said: 'Dirty air robs people of their health and costs our NHS millions each year. We are determined to clean up our air.'
Research found no prosecutions for illegal wood burning in England in the year to August 2025, despite over 15,000 complaints. Jemima Hartshorn of Mums for Lungs said: 'Non-essential wood burning needs to end. The consultation does not go far enough – it only addresses new stoves, not the huge pollution from existing ones.'
