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November 2022 - Housing

Social housing residents would have heating bills reduced by 42% if their homes were made energy efficient: A report published in November 2022 has revealed that if social housing residents' homes were better insulated and draught proofed, their energy bills would be reduced by 42%, which equates to a saving of £700million per year.

The report findings come after EPC and English Housing Survey data was analysed to estimate the potential savings for people living in social housing and how they would benefit from having their homes retrofitted to be more energy efficient. 

The research revealed that to cost an energy inefficient social home (EPC D-G), the cost would be on average, £1,345 per year. However, if that home was retrofitted to be emergency efficient, this cost would be reduced to an average of £776 - a fall of 42% - saving social housing residents £567 a year. Looking at the total number of social housing residents in energy inefficient homes, this equates to a saving over £700 million per year.

The research highlights that social housing residents are already disproportionally impacted by rising bills in relation to their income, pointing out that for those in homes which have not been adequately insulated and brought up to an EPC rating of at least C, heating their homes will require an average of 5.7% of their income, compared to a national average of 3.4%. Residents in homes with an EPC G rating will pay even more -- as much as 15.5% of their total income on heating bills.

The government has set a target of improving the energy efficiency of UK homes so that they meet at least EPC C standard by 2030. This is part of the wider, legal requiring for meeting net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The research also found that just over half of the social home stock in the UK have Energy Performance Certificates rated in the top three bands, EPC A, B or C.

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