Which? published a "priority places for insulation" index on 15 November 2023, scoring each of the UK's 650 political constituencies between one and 10, with 10 given to areas most in need of insulation1. The consumer organisation said the index identifies need based on roof, floor and wall insulation, property age and type, and economic, social and health factors, and it called for the government to provide better support for households living in fuel poverty1.
The five constituencies most in need in England are Pendle, Lancashire; Birmingham Hodge Hill, Warwickshire; Louth and Horncastle, Lincolnshire; Burnley, Lancashire; and Scarborough and Whitby, North Yorkshire, all scoring a maximum 101. In Wales, Rhondda is the area most in need; in Scotland Na h-Eileanan an Iar is the highest priority; and Belfast West is most in need in Northern Ireland1. Which? said the majority of the constituencies with the most need are in the North West and North East of England, Yorkshire and Humberside, the Welsh Valleys, South Scotland, West Belfast and Derry/Londonderry, but that areas further south and London are also affected1.
The accompanying research paper estimates that 13.3 million households need loft insulation, 5.9 million need cavity wall insulation and 7.4 million need solid wall insulation2. It defines priority places as those in the worst 20% of the index, the 9th and 10th deciles, and constructs the index from eight indicators covering housing stock, socio-economic and health data2. Which? states that direct comparisons cannot be made between areas in different nations because not all the same data is available for each nation, and that fuel poverty statistics are not available at local level in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, where medium income estimates and the proportion of low-income households are used as a proxy2.
Which? also examined installer supply, looking at how many certified installers there are per 100,000 residents in different areas1. In some priority areas, such as Copeland and Workington in Cumbria, it found no local suppliers provide relevant installation services, and it said rural areas generally tend to lack local installers compared with urban areas1. On the pattern of need, it reported that London (67%) and the South of East England (23%) have the most neighbourhoods likely to have poor wall, loft and floor insulation levels but lower levels of fuel poverty1.
"The government must ensure support and funding reaches fuel poor and vulnerable households most at risk from a lack of insulation in their homes, and that households have access to reliable installers and the information and advice they need to support them through some of the complex decisions involved in insulating a home."
Why it matters for households
The index is a measure of where insulation need is concentrated rather than a statement about any individual home, and its own authors caution that areas in different nations cannot be compared directly2. For a household, the practical relevance lies in the factors the index weighs: uninsulated walls, lofts and floors, the age of the property, and the presence of residents over 65 or with conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease that cold worsens1. Those are the circumstances in which a cold home carries the greatest cost, both in bills and in health.
The supply findings matter as much as the need findings. Which? reports that some high-need areas have no local suppliers offering relevant installation services, and that rural areas generally have fewer installers than urban ones1. Where demand is high and installers are scarce, households face longer waits and less choice, which is a different problem from being unable to afford the work. Which? also notes that renters cannot retrofit the homes they live in, and that London has more private renters than the rest of England1. For tenants, the decision sits with the landlord, which affects what vulnerable and medically dependent households can achieve on their own.
Which? states that existing grants for improving home energy efficiency are predominantly focused on households in receipt of benefits, but can also include other low income households or households with relevant health conditions, and that uptake of recent schemes has been disappointing1. It wants the government to consider the criteria for which measures can be delivered under these schemes and to support local authorities and energy providers in identifying eligible households1. The organisation says insulation improvements are needed nationwide, not just in priority areas1.
What happens next
Which? has called for assurances that support reaches all fuel poor households, and for households to have access to information and advice, help finding qualified and reliable installers, and, depending on their needs, financial support from governments or financial products from banks to help with high upfront costs1. No government response or timetable is reported in the material published on 15 November 2023.