Majority of British homes only meet insulation standards of the 1970s or earlier, study finds

A new study of British homes has found that just over half only meet the insulation standards of 1976 or earlier.

The study conducted by EDF and property data platform Sprift, found that of 25 million homes in England and Wales, just over 13.9 million (55%) met the insulation standards of 1976 building regulations or earlier.

The primary causes of heat loss in these homes are insufficient cavity wall insulation, absence of double-glazed windows, inadequate loft insulation, and poor floor insulation. These are all features that current building regulations require.

The study found that there has been a small improvement in the nation’s home insulation standards over the past two years, with 18% of properties now having an insulation age of 2002 or younger compared to 8% in 2022.

However, this progress is primarily due to the construction of new properties since 2022, which are required to comply with updated insulation regulations.

Despite this improvement, the average household is living with insulation standards dating back 48 years, with 41% (6,291,448 homes) living in properties that meet the insulation standards set in 1976.

In addition, EDF commissioned a study of 2,000 UK homeowners to investigate the reasons why some have not upgraded their insulation.

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The research revealed that cost is the primary barrier for 32% of homeowners, while 17% prefer to spend their money on other things, and 14% are unsure about the type of insulation needed.

Moreover, 76% of those who have made improvements since 2020 attribute their actions to the volatility of the energy market over the past three years and concerns about potential price increases.

According to the survey findings, two thirds (61%) of respondents are unaware of the energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of their home and nearly a fifth (18%) of homeowners have no knowledge about the various insulation methods available to enhance energy efficiency.

EDF figures indicate that the average semi-detached homeowner could save up to £235 a year if they upgraded their cavity-wall insulation, £225 by having a well-insulated loft, or £315 a year if they updated their solid wall insulation.

Philippe Commaret, managing director for customers at EDF said: “It’s clear from this research that, despite the energy crisis, little progress has been made in improving the energy efficiency of older British homes in the past two years, meaning millions of homeowners are missing out on significant savings on their energy bills.

”Our ongoing efforts to support and improve crucial initiatives such as the Great British Insulation Scheme will help empower customers to embrace energy efficiency so they can save both cash and carbon.”