07 August 2025
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Householders taken for granted
Three fifths of households say they can’t afford home upgrades that would cut their energy bills.
Three-fifths of households (60%) say they can’t afford to carry out home improvements that would save them money on their energy bills[1], reveals research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
The UK has millions of older homes that were built before modern energy efficiency standards, with many suffering from poor insulation, outdated heating systems and single-glazed windows[6]. Half of households (52%) say they would like to make changes to improve their home’s energy efficiency to reduce their gas and electricity bills[7].
90% of the nearly nine million UK homes with solid walls don’t have solid wall insulation, according to government data. More than eight million homes are lacking the recommended amount of loft insulation, and over three million properties are without the cavity wall insulation they need[8].
A number of government schemes are available to help households become more energy-efficient, with 420,600 measures installed in 2024 in 120,900 homes across the country[8].
But a quarter of UK households (26%) aren’t aware that these schemes are available – nearly seven in ten (68%) have no knowledge of the Energy Company Obligation scheme, one among the most commonly available nationwide schemes[3].
Table: Government energy schemes available
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Source: Uswitch.com analysis
Half of households (52%) say they would apply for a grant to improve their home’s energy efficiency if they knew they were eligible[4] – with a third of consumers (32%) saying they didn’t try because they thought they wouldn’t be eligible. One in six who didn’t apply (17%) say it is because they weren’t aware of the schemes[9].
Most UK properties built, rented or sold since 2008 will have an energy performance certificate (EPC) that shows how much energy the home uses for heating, lighting and hot water. An EPC certificate highlights where improvements like insulation can be made to improve the specific home’s energy efficiency.
Unfortunately, fewer than three in ten households (29%) know what their home’s EPC rating is, with one in ten (11%) admitting that they don’t know what an EPC rating is[5].
Bradford West is the UK parliamentary constituency with the most ECO measures – with 379 installed per 1,000 households. By comparison, Battersea in West London has fewer than nine per 1,000[6].
Table: Most installed ECO measures per 1,000 households
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Source: DESNZ / Uswitch.com
Visit the easy-to-use grant checker tool
