3 Million Brits Face ‘Energy Poverty’ As Over A Third Dip Into Savings To Cover Bills This Winter

A new report by clean energy-tech company, Aira reveals that 65% of UK homeowners are significantly impacted by rising energy costs, proving the critical need to shift towards more sustainable and cost saving heating solutions.

Key findings from the report include:

66% of Yorkshire and Humber households are significantly impacted by rising energy costs
31% of people in the Yorkshire and Humber are switching to eco-mode on their washing machine
11% have begun buying second-hand clothes
18% are using appliances out of peak periods to save cash
A significant trend towards sustainability has emerged, with many consumers seeking eco-friendly solutions without increasing their overall spendingThe risk of ‘energy poverty’ - when a household has to reduce its energy consumption to a degree that it has a negative impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing - has been quietly growing throughout the cost-of-living crisis, with over a third (34%) of UK homeowners having to dip into savings to pay their energy bills.

The physical and emotional impact is being felt across the nation, with 75% of people in Yorkshire and The Humber having restricted their use of heating to reduce energy costs and 13% of Londoners experiencing a lack of sleep.

Aira’s latest report, The Era of the Eco-curious: can I live more sustainably and spend less? reveals that people are already taking small steps to live more sustainably, with 37% of Brits switching to eco-mode on their washing machine, 29% buying second-hand clothes and 25% using appliances out of peak periods. Whilst 57% of people still associate heat pumps with high upfront costs, these small steps highlight the desire to live more sustainably and create new hope for heat pump adoption.

Industry experts argue that despite the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis, the combination of increasing energy costs and lower incomes is encouraging a broader re-evaluation of energy usage, driving a new era of eco-curious consumers.

The data, however, shows that there’s room to increase consideration and uptake as 54% of people say they would switch to a heat pump if they perceived them as more affordable, signalling an opportunity for both governments and businesses to help accelerate adoption with education and increase accessibility with financial incentives.

Carolyn Snell, Professor of Social Policy at the University of York, says:
“There can be a perception that heat pumps are more expensive to run, they're difficult, and they're not going to make things as warm as you want them. There's a real lack of good information around it, and a lack of trusted information as well. Historically, energy is an area where there's a lot of mistrust – it goes back to the 1990s.”

By making the simple shift to cleaner, greener heat pumps, people can save £560 on their annual energy bills and disruptor brands, like Aira, are already working to remove barriers to adoption, with monthly payment plans and extended warranty for peace of mind.

Pamela Brown

Pamela Brown, Aira’s Consumer Expert, says:
“Our report shows that energy costs are now a critical challenge for households and are creating anxiety as winter approaches. However, a generation of eco-curious individuals are slowly realising that their carbon footprint—and their energy bills—can be drastically reduced by adopting clean energy-tech. At Aira we increase accessibility to these solutions with monthly payment plans and offer complete peace of mind with a 15-year guarantee, enabling people to live sustainably without spending more.”