Millions across the UK suffered sleepless nights, higher bills, and deteriorating health this summer due to homes ill-equipped for soaring temperatures, Citizens Advice has found.
The charity’s survey revealed the widespread impact of four heatwaves, all exceeding 30C.
Almost half of Britons (47 per cent) reported difficulty sleeping. Beyond discomfort, 11 per cent experienced deteriorating health, while 14 per cent felt stressed about the heat’s impact on themselves or household members, with 8 per cent noting a negative health effect on someone in their home.
Financially, 13 per cent faced higher bills trying to cool their homes.
Overall, 45 per cent incurred additional costs, from increased energy use to buying cooling devices, with 7 per cent spending over £200.
One in three Britons (34 per cent) found it difficult to keep their home cool, rising to 40 per cent for renters. Of these, 32 per cent could not afford fans or air conditioning.
The findings from Citizens Advice highlight a critical vulnerability in the UK’s housing stock, leaving many exposed to the health and financial burdens of extreme heat.
One in five people (20 per cent) now “dread” future summers, rising to 25 per cent of disabled people, the survey found.
Citizens Advice said that although people often assumed that homes were hot in the summer because they were well insulated and built to keep the heat in, the opposite was true.
It warned that Britain had some of the leakiest housing stock in Europe, which left them cold and draughty in winter and “is also making people dread summer, lose sleep, and pay more to keep cool”.
The findings come as Ofgem announced that the energy price cap will rise by 2 per cent from October 1, leaving the average household paying by direct debit for gas and electricity set to see their bills rise from the current £1,720 to £1,755 per year.
Citizens Advice said it was worrying that households were having to pay more to keep their homes warm in winter and cool in summer, adding that retrofitting houses to improve both insulation and ventilation “is the only way to fix both problems at once”.
It said the Government’s Warm Homes Plan was a “real opportunity to commit to solutions that deliver healthier, safer homes”.
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Gillian Cooper, director of energy at Citizens Advice, said: “No-one should have to face extra costs, lose sleep, and even risk their health to get through a heatwave. Our homes should be places of comfort and safety – not another source of worry when the temperature rises.
“People might think our homes get dangerously hot in the summer because they’re built to keep the heat in. But the opposite is true, we have some of the most poorly insulated housing in Europe.
“This means our homes are cold and draughty in the winter, and heat can get in easier in summer.
“With the Government’s upcoming Warm Homes Plan, we have a real chance to fix this. Retrofitting homes with proper insulation and ventilation will make our homes healthier, safer and more resilient to both summer heat and winter cold.”
A Government spokeswoman said: “We are investing £13.2 billion to improve up to five million homes over this Parliament, boosting the energy efficiency of housing to cope with higher temperatures.
“We are also taking action to strengthen climate resilience across government and local communities, improving our infrastructure and making sure homes are fit for the future.”
