Cold comfort as 1.7m households do not plan to turn on heating this winter

A survey reveals that over 1.7 million households in the UK have no plans to switch on their heating this winter, nearly doubling the figure from last year when 972,000 households chose not to heat their homes.

The poll conducted for Uswitch found that 55% of respondents attributed their decision to escalating living costs, while a quarter of those aged over 65 cited the discontinuation of winter fuel payments as their reason. Additionally, one million households intend to delay turning on their heating until December to minimise expenses, according to the survey.

On average, households are expected to activate their heating systems on October 6, almost a week earlier than last year's date of October 12. However, nearly six million people have already switched on their heating due to the recent cold spell.

The survey also indicates that households plan to set their thermostats at an average of 19.4C this winter, slightly higher than last year's average of 19.3C. The Energy Saving Trust suggests that individuals can reduce their heating bills by 10% for every degree they lower their thermostats, although it advises against setting them below 18C.

Despite this, more than one in six households (17%) plan to set their thermostats below 18C to save money, with 8% aiming for 17C and 11% for 16C or lower. Conversely, nearly four million households are setting their thermostats at or above 22C.

The survey also found that two in five households (43%) will only turn on the heating if they feel too cold, while 31% will only heat certain rooms in their home.

Uswitch energy spokesman Will Owen said: "It's deeply concerning to see how many households plan to get through winter without heating due to financial struggles. Spending winter in a cold home can be a health risk and households should keep the temperature at safe levels."

"People are advised to set their thermostats to between 18C and 21C, so households should try to keep within this range even when trying to save money. Electric blankets are a good way to keep warm and cost a lot less to run than electric heaters."

He further suggested: "You can set a schedule for when your heating goes on and off so you only warm your home up when you need to, and turning down radiator valves in rooms you are not using means you are not heating them unnecessarily."

The findings came from a survey conducted by Opinium, who polled 2,000 UK adults between September 6-10.