Almost Half Consumers Feel They Could Do More To Save Energy In Their Homes

A recent survey by NatWest has revealed that almost 50% of homeowners and tenants feel they could do more to contribute to running their home more efficiently, when it comes to the energy they consume.

Of all the regions surveyed, London was found to be the least energy conscious of all, with those living in the capital also being the least likely to take up energy saving measures. This is perhaps a reflection of the high proportion of consumers living in rental properties; however, more promisingly, the survey also found that the majority of consumers do choose to use easy to fit energy-saving products such as lightbulbs.

At the other end of the scale, those living in Wales were found to be the most energy conscious. Residents in Wales were found to be the most likely to take up measures to save energy in their homes, and are most likely to take up energy-saving products such as lightbulbs and boilers. They are also the least likely to leave appliances on standby when not in use.

Yet despite having the highest take up of such measures, Wales also has the second highest percentage of people who are unaware of the energy-saving schemes that may be available to them, from either the government or energy suppliers (27%, sitting just behind 28% of London residents).

There are a lot of things that people in the UK can do to improve efficiency. They need to realize that a lot of heat is escaping their home, which forces them to use more energy. This worsens the climate crisis. One way to tackle this is by investing in thermal leak detectors.

Awareness is evidently one of the biggest reasons for low uptake of energy-saving measures around the UK. Around a fifth of adults in the UK haven’t heard of the support available, with a third of young consumers (aged 18-34) completely unaware of the energy saving schemes available to them. Although awareness is highest among older consumers, 1 in 10 consumers over the age of 65 have never heard of the schemes either.

Given the results of this survey, an increased effort to improve awareness of the schemes and support available to consumers could greatly increase the number of homeowners and tenants taking steps to make their homes more energy efficient. With only 64% of parents aged 18-34 teaching their children how to reduce their energy bills, it is crucial that all generations are given the knowledge needed to take responsibility in their own homes and help reduce their energy use.

See the full results of the survey here.