Electrical Safety First has warned that a sharp rise in electric heater use this winter could put households at greater risk of fire. The charity released survey findings during its annual Electrical Fire Safety Week campaign showing that 42 per cent of respondents are either definitely using or considering using an electric heater to heat a single room because of concerns over the cost of central heating1.
The figure is an increase of 8 percentage points year on year, which the charity calculates as equivalent to 4.3 million people1. More than one in three of those planning to use an electric heater this winter, 37 per cent, have not done so before1. Concern about the cost of heating a home rose to 90 per cent of those surveyed this year, from 78 per cent last year1.
Shopping for heaters has also increased. More than one in five respondents concerned about rising energy costs, 22 per cent, bought an electric heater in the last year, and 45 per cent of those bought from an online marketplace1. The charity said heaters are not inherently dangerous but can cause fires if not used with care, with fan heaters posing a greater risk in the home1.
The research was conducted by Censuswide among a sample of 3,010 UK adults aged 16 and over, nationally representative on age, gender and region, with data collected between 17.10.2022 and 19.10.2022. The 2021 comparison survey used a sample of 3,033 UK adults, collected between 15.10.2021 and 21.10.20211.
Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First, said:
"Heating your home should never come at the expense of your own safety. While portable heaters can be useful to heat a small space, they can pose a real risk to your home and your life if mistakes are made when using them. With the significant number of people set to turn to these appliances this winter, it's vital we use them safely."
The charity's guidance covers placement, keeping heaters away from combustible materials such as paper, furniture or curtains, not using them to dry clothes, not leaving them unattended for long periods or while asleep, and not powering them from extension leads, which it says can be overloaded and cause fires1. It also advises inspecting heaters for damage, buying from known and trusted manufacturers or retailers, registering appliances and checking for recalls, and having a working smoke alarm on every floor1. Its campaign video features Fire & Rescue Service members describing fires caused by electric heaters, including one in which a man died after a heater ignited the fabric of his armchair1.
Why it matters for households
An electric heater used to warm one room shifts a home's heating onto electricity rather than gas, which changes both the running cost and the load on a home's wiring. The charity's warning centres on how that equipment is used rather than on the appliances themselves: extension leads, clothes drying and heaters left running overnight are the situations it identifies as risky1. For a household weighing up electric radiators and panel heaters or direct acting electric heating versus storage heaters, the safety and supply requirements are set out in the site's guide to electrical safety for electric heating, and running costs are covered under electric heating running costs. Households using a single plug-in heater for one room are relying on that appliance alone for warmth, so a fault or a fire affects the whole home's heating, not just one part of it.
What happens next
The findings were released during Electrical Fire Safety Week, alongside the charity's campaign video1. No further dates or follow-up announcements have been reported.