Energy News

5m Brits in the dark about energy efficiency savings

Wednesday 30 November, 2011

By Martin Fagan

48% put off by cost of energy efficient measures while others think they’re a “scam”

Almost 23 million households are missing out on potential savings of up to £675 a year by not making their homes as energy efficient as possible, according to new research.

With energy bills having rocketed by 21% within the last year, consumers are looking for ways to cut back and save. However, despite fears that energy bills could continue to rise in the future, less than a fifth (19%) have made their home completely energy efficient.

For those who have tried to become greener, price increases in energy bills have proved the biggest driver - convincing 65% to make their homes more energy efficient. Meanwhile, four in ten (40%) have been spurred into action by fears of a cold winter, according to the research conducted by independent switching service, uSwitch.com.

For cash-strapped consumers the cost of energy efficiency is still a barrier, says uSwitch.com. Although 59% believe that it will save them money, 13% don't think the savings are worthwhile.

A further 8% of nervous Brits are worried about spending money on energy efficiency measures because they don't believe the hype about the resulting savings. One in ten said nothing would encourage them to make further improvements, while 4% dismiss energy efficiency as a “scam”.

“In these cash-strapped times consumers are weighing up the savings they can make by being energy efficient against the initial outlay,” said Kevin Sears, energy efficiency expert at uSwitch.com.

“For many, the concern is whether the savings will outstrip the cost. But with winter approaching, and energy bills having rocketed by 21% within the last year, it's more important than ever that consumers are able to cut back on the amount of energy they use by being more energy efficient.”

For those worried about the cost, uSwitch.com says energy companies have a “pot of money” set aside to help consumers make their homes more energy efficient. Some suppliers, such as EDF Energy, are even offering help to those who aren't customers.

However, uSwitch.com says over half of consumers (52%) don't know that suppliers give this help and just 5% say they have actually benefited from it.

Photo by Bryn Pinzgauer