Official Statistics

DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker: Heat and energy use in the home, Winter 2024, UK

Published 13 March 2025

The DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker is a nationally representative annual survey of adults (aged 16+) in the UK that tracks public awareness, attitudes and behaviours relating to the policies of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), such as energy and climate change. 

This report provides a summary of the headline findings relating to heat and energy use in the home from the Winter 2024 wave of the Tracker, which ran from 7 November to 12 December 2024.  

Notes for interpretation of findings 

Differences between groups are only reported where they are statistically significant at the 95% confidence interval level.  

The annual personal income referred to in the report is a self-reported measure. 

The age-related findings are reported using six age groups (16-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65 and over). In some cases, findings across age groups have been combined to describe a general trend, e.g. ‘between 78% and 88% of people aged 45 and above’ refers to the range of percentages for the three age groups 45-54, 55-64 and 65+. 

Two summary self-reported measures are used in this report: 

• ‘Awareness’ encompasses all respondents who said they had heard of a particular concept or technology, including those who said ‘hardly anything but I’ve heard of this’, ‘a little’, ‘a fair amount’ or ‘a lot’.  

• ‘Knowledge’ encompasses those who said that they know ‘a fair amount’ or ‘a lot’ about a topic.

Awareness of heating changes to meet Net Zero targets  

Respondents were presented with the following explanation: ‘In the lead up to 2050, the way we heat almost all of our homes and buildings will need to change in order to reach the UK government’s Net Zero target’.  

Figure 4.1 displays both the longer-term trends in overall awareness and knowledge (a lot/fair amount) of the ways our homes are heated (left hand side) and the detailed awareness and knowledge data for the most recent two waves alongside the baseline (right hand side).  

Over the longer-term, following an increase in knowledge levels at the start of the tracking series between Autumn 2021 and Winter 2021, levels of awareness and knowledge of the need to change the way homes and buildings are heated in order to reach the Net Zero target have remained broadly stable.

Between Summer 2024 and Winter 2024, overall awareness of Net Zero heating changes remained stable at 88%. Knowledge also remained stable; in Winter 2024, 41% said they knew a lot or a fair amount of which 12% said they knew a lot (Figure 4.1). 

Figure 4.1: Awareness of the need to change the way homes are heated to reach Net Zero targets in 2050 (% based on all people), Autumn 2021 to Winter 2024

HEATHOMEKNOW. In the lead up to 2050, the way we heat almost all of our homes and buildings will need to change in order to reach the UK government’s Net Zero target. Before today, how much if anything did you know about this?  

Base: All wave respondents – Autumn 2021 (5,552), Winter 2021 (3,705), Spring 2022 (4,374), Summer 2022 (4,489), Autumn 2022 (4,160), Winter 2022 (3,572), Spring 2023 (4,406), Summer 2023 (3,998), Winter 2023 (3,741), Spring 2024 (4,083), Summer 2024 (3,640), Winter 2024 (3,211) (Asked each wave) 

Note: On the left-hand chart, arrows denote a significant difference between one wave and the next. For the right hand chart, significant differences are noted between Autumn 2021 and Summer 2024, and between Winter 2024 and Summer 2023

Analysis by subgroups 

Self-reported knowledge about the need to change the way homes are heated (the percentage who felt they knew a lot or a fair amount) was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age groups 55 and over: 48% compared with between 32% and 37% in age groups from 16 to 44. 

• People living in owner-occupier households: 47% compared with 29% of those in rented households.  

• People who said they knew a lot or a fair amount about Net Zero: 71% compared with 7% of those who knew a little or hardly anything and 2% of those who were not aware of Net Zero.

Awareness of low-carbon heating systems 

Low-carbon heating systems were described to respondents in general terms as ‘…environmentally friendly heating systems which no longer rely on conventional gas central heating but instead use energy from low-carbon alternatives such as hydrogen, the sun, or heat pumps which draw heat from the ground, air or water to heat homes’.  

Over the longer-term, following an increase in awareness and knowledge at the start of the tracking series between Autumn 2021 and Winter 2021, overall awareness on this measure has remained broadly stable. However, there has been an increasing trend in the proportion saying they knew a lot or a fair amount from 25% in Autumn 2021 to 34% in Winter 2024 (Figure 4.2).  

Between Summer 2024 and Winter 2024, both awareness (89%) and knowledge (a lot/fair amount) (34%) of low-carbon heating systems remained stable.  

Figure 4.2: Awareness of low-carbon heating systems (% based on all people), Autumn 2021 to Winter 2024

LOWCARBKNOW. The next question is about low-carbon heating systems. By this we mean environmentally friendly heating systems which no longer rely on conventional gas central heating but instead use energy from low-carbon alternatives such as hydrogen, the sun, or heat pumps which draw heat from the ground, air or water to heat your home. Before today, how much if anything did you know about low-carbon heating systems? 

Base: All wave respondents – Autumn 2021 (5,552), Winter 2021 (3,702), Spring 2022 (4,376), Summer 2022 (4,488), Autumn 2022 (4,161), Winter 2022 (3,573), Spring 2023 (4,404), Summer 2023 (4,000), Winter 2023 (3,743), Spring 2024 (4,085), Summer 2024 (3,640), Winter 2024 (3,212) (Asked each wave) 

Note: On the left-hand chart, arrows denote a significant difference between one wave and the next. For the right hand chart, significant differences are noted between Autumn 2021 and Summer 2024, and between Winter 2024 and Summer 2023

Analysis by subgroups 

Self-reported knowledge about low carbon heating systems (the percentage who felt they knew a lot or a fair amount) was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age groups 55 and over: between 40% and 42% compared with 21% of those aged 16 to 24. 

• People living in owner-occupier households: 41% compared with 22% of those in rented households.  

• People who said they knew a lot or a fair amount about Net Zero: 58% compared with 9% of those who knew at most a little and 2% of those who were not aware of Net Zero.

Low carbon heating systems 

Awareness of specific low carbon heating systems 

An annual question in the Winter wave measures awareness and knowledge of different types of low carbon heating systems. A brief description of each type was provided to respondents as follows:  

• Air source heat pumps - these extract heat from the outside air to heat your home and water.  

• Ground source heat pumps - these extract heat from pipes buried in the ground to heat your home and water. 

• Biomass boilers - these work in a similar way to standard gas boilers to heat your home and water but instead use a renewable material such as wood pellets as fuel.  

• Hybrid heat pumps - these combine heat pump and standard gas boiler technology to heat your home and water. 

• Heat networks (also known as communal or district heating) - these take heat from a central source and distribute it to multiple customers in a building or across several buildings. 

• Hydrogen boilers - these work in a similar way to standard gas boilers to heat your home and water, but use hydrogen rather than natural gas as fuel. This technology is not currently available in the UK.  

• Hydrogen-ready boilers - These are designed to use hydrogen in the longer term but are initially constructed to use natural gas to heat your home and water. This technology is not yet available. 

Figure 4.3 shows findings for the Winter 2021 baseline and for the most recent two waves. In Winter 2024, the pattern of awareness across the different types of low carbon heating remained in line with previous years.  

In Winter 2024, as in previous years, awareness was highest for air source heat pumps (77%, up from 71% in Winter 2021), and ground source heat pumps (74%, up from 67% in Winter 2021 and from 71% in Winter 2023).  

Awareness of biomass boilers remained stable at 63%. People were, as in previous years, less familiar with hybrid heat pumps (52%) and heat networks (53%). The lowest awareness was reported for hydrogen boilers (46%, down from 51% in Winter 2023), and hydrogen-ready boilers (35%, down from 40%). 

Levels of self-reported knowledge (knowing a lot or a fair amount) followed the same trend as awareness in terms of which were most familiar to people. However, knowledge levels were much lower than awareness, ranging from only 5% for hydrogen-ready boilers to 23% for air source heat pumps.  

There were several small increases in levels of knowledge between Winter 2023 and Winter 2024, including for air source heat pumps (23%, up from 21%), ground source heat pumps (21%, up from 18%), heat networks (12%, up from 10%) and biomass boilers (13%, up from 11%).

Figure 4.3: Knowledge about specific low-carbon heating systems (% based on all people), baseline wave (Winter 2021) and two most recent waves (Winter 2023 & Winter 2024)

LCHEATKNOW1-8. How much would you say you know about the following low carbon heating systems?  

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2021/Winter 2023/Winter 2024: Air source heat pumps (3,696/3,736/3,209), Ground source heat pumps (3,693/3,729/3,211), Hybrid heat pumps (3,690/3,729/3,208), Heat networks (3,686/3,728/3,207), Biomass boilers (3,692/3,731/3,209), Hydrogen boilers (3,694/3,726/3,211), Hydrogen-ready boilers (3,688/3,725/3,206)

Analysis by subgroups 

Across all types of low carbon heating, the following general trends were observed. 

By age: 

• For air source and ground source heat pumps, older people were more likely than younger people to report both awareness and knowledge. For example, air source heat pump awareness was 62% for people aged 16 to 24 and 85% for those aged 65 and over, while knowledge followed a similar pattern from 12% to 27%.  

• There was a smaller age-related upward trend in awareness for biomass boilers (from 56% of those aged 16 to 24 to 69% of those aged 65 and over).  

By tenure: 

• People living in owner-occupied households were more likely than those in rented households to report awareness of most low carbon heating systems. For example, 82% of owner-occupiers were aware of air source heat pumps compared with 66% of renters. 

• There was a similar difference for knowledge. Most notably, people in owner-occupied households were more likely than those in rented households to report knowledge about air source heat pumps (29% compared with 13%) and ground source heat pumps (25% compared with 14%). 

By self-reported knowledge of Net Zero: 

• Awareness of all low carbon heating systems was substantially higher for those who reported higher levels of knowledge of Net Zero. For example, 89% of those who felt they knew at least a fair amount about Net Zero were aware of air source heat pumps, compared with only 40% of those who had never heard of Net Zero. A similar pattern of difference was observed for knowledge.  

Likelihood to install low carbon heating systems 

In order to gauge the propensity to adopt low carbon heating systems, respondents were asked if they would consider installing an air source heat pump, ground source heat pump, hybrid heat pump and a biomass boiler, the next time they needed to change their heating system or boiler^{[footnote 1]}.  

Around a quarter of respondents (between 26% and 27% by system) said that a decision around installing a new heating system was not theirs to make. This was mainly explained by people renting: around six in ten renters (between 61% and 63% for each type of low-carbon heating system) said that this was not their decision to make compared with between 8% and 9% for people in owner-occupier households. Given the high rate of renters who said these questions were not applicable to them, the findings for this question are based only on people living in owner-occupied households (Figure 4.4). 

Figure 4.4 shows results from the Winter 2021 baseline and the two most recent waves based on all owner-occupiers. As in previous waves, a substantial minority of people reported not knowing enough about each system to make a decision (between 29% and 38%). However, for all four systems, this proportion was lower in Winter 2024 than the Winter 2021 baseline. 

In Winter 2024, among those who expressed an opinion, air source heat pumps remained the most popular option. A total of 25% either already had one installed (2%) or said they were very or fairly likely to install one (23%). This combined measure has increased over time from 19% in Winter 2021 and 22% in Winter 2023. 

The proportion of people who had already installed or were likely to install a ground source heat pump or hybrid heat pump was slightly lower, at 17% for each. However, both figures had risen from 13% in Winter 2021. This measure for biomass boilers remained stable at 11% in Winter 2024.

Figure 4.4: Whether likely to install specific low-carbon heating systems next time they need to change (% based on people living in owner-occupied accommodation), baseline wave (Winter 2021) and two most recent waves (Winter 2023 & Winter 2024)

LCHEATINSTALL1-4. How likely is it that you would install each of the following heating systems in your home when you next need to change your heating system or boiler? 

Base: All wave respondents living in owner-occupier households – Winter 2021 / Winter 2023 / Winter 2024: Air source heat pumps (2,738/2,681/2,476), Ground source heat pumps (2,728/2,634/2,448), Hybrid heat pumps (2,730/2,620/2,440), Biomass boilers (2,725/2,611/2,434)

Analysis by subgroups 

The following trends are based on owner-occupiers only.  

By age: 

• Across all four systems, people aged 35 to 44 were more likely to consider installing a low-carbon heating system than those aged 65 and over. For example, 33% of those aged 35 to 44 said they were likely to install an air source heat pump, compared to 17% of those aged 65 and over.  

• Younger adults were more likely than older people to report not knowing enough to decide on installing air source or ground source heat pumps. For example, 40% of those aged 25 to 34 said they lacked sufficient knowledge to make a decision on installing ground source heat pumps, compared with 29% in those aged 65 and over.  

By self-reported knowledge of Net Zero: 

• The likelihood to install an air source heat pump was substantially higher for those who reported higher levels of knowledge of Net Zero. For example, 29% of those who felt they knew a fair amount or a lot about Net Zero said they were likely to install one, compared with 13% of those who had never heard of Net Zero.  

• Across all four systems, those with little knowledge of Net Zero were more likely to say they do not know enough to decide. For example, for hybrid heat pumps, this was proportion was 49% among those who said they knew a little, hardly anything or nothing at all about Net Zero, compared with 31% who said they knew at least a fair amount. 

By annual personal income: 

• Across all four systems, people with lower annual personal incomes were more likely to report that the decision was not theirs to make compared to those in higher income bands. For example, for ground source heat pumps, 21% of those with an income of £0-£14,999 reported that they were unable to make this decision, compared with between 3% and 8% of those with income bands £15,000 and above. This is likely due to age, as younger people (aged 16 to 24) tend to have lower incomes and are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes where they are not the primary decision-maker. 

• People in the higher income bands (£50,000 and above) were more likely to consider installing an air source heat pump (37%) than those in lower income bands (£0–£49,999), where likelihood to install ranged from 15% to 28%. 

Overall, in Winter 2024, 55% of people living in owner-occupier households said that they were unlikely to install at least one of the four different types of low carbon heating systems if they needed to replace their heating system (this has remained stable over time). This subgroup was asked their reasons for their reluctance to install one or more low-carbon heating system (Figure 4.5).  

The most common barrier was concern about the cost of installation (50%). This was followed by a perception that it might not be possible to install in their home (41%, up from 35% in Winter 2023) and a preference to wait to see how the technology develops in time (36%).  

Other barriers included concerns about running costs (33%), because they were happy with their existing system (29%), and not knowing enough about the heating systems (27%, down from 32%)^{[footnote 2]}.

Figure 4.5: Why unlikely to install specific low-carbon heating systems (% based on owner-occupiers unlikely to install one or more of the low carbon systems), Winter 2021 to 2024

LCNOWHY. You said you would be unlikely to install the following heating systems in your home […] Why is this?  

Base: All owner-occupier households who are unlikely to install one or more of low carbon types of heating in home – Winter 2021 (1,621), Winter 2022 (1,551), Winter 2023 (1,631), Winter 2024 (1,483)

Attitudes towards low carbon heating systems 

Respondents were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with six statements about low carbon heating, as shown in Figure 4.6. The chart shows results for the Winter 2021 baseline and the two most recent waves. 

In Winter 2024, as in previous years, a high proportion gave a non-opinion response (that is ‘neither agree nor disagree’ and ‘don’t know/don’t have enough information‘). This ranged between 47% and 75%, the latter referring to the proportion unable to give an opinion about the reliability of low carbon heating systems. This reflects the findings observed in Figure 4.2, where 66% of people said they knew a little, hardly anything or nothing at all about low carbon heating systems. However, the proportions saying that they don’t know or don’t have enough information about these systems have decreased substantially for all statements since the Winter 2021 baseline. 

Focussing on the proportion who agreed/disagreed with each statement about low carbon heating systems (LCHS): 

• 45% agreed that ‘LCHS are expensive to install’ (up from 38% in Winter 2023), while 2% disagreed. 

• 18% agreed that ‘LCHS would heat people’s homes better than the conventional systems’ (no change from Winter 2023, up from 15% in Winter 2021), while 14% disagreed (up from 12% in Winter 2023). 

• 21% agreed that ‘LCHS are cheaper to run than conventional systems’ (no change from Winter 2023, up from 16% in Winter 2021), while 12% disagreed (up from 8% in Winter 2023).  

• 12% agreed that ‘LCHS are less reliable than conventional systems’ (no change from Winter 2023, up from 10% in Winter 2021), while 12% disagreed (up from 9% in both Winter 2023 and 2021). 

• 15% agreed that ‘to make LCHS more attractive, conventional systems should be more expensive’, while 38% disagreed (up from 31% in Winter 2021 and 2023). 

• 30% agreed that ‘I would know where to find reliable information on LCHS’ (up from 27% in Winter 2022 and 2023), while 19% disagreed (up from 15% in Winter 2023).

Figure 4.6: Attitudes towards low carbon heating systems (LCHS*) (% based on all people), baseline wave (Winter 2021**) and two most recent waves (Winter 2023 & Winter 2024)

LOWCARBATT1-6. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?   

*NOTE – LCHS is included in full as ‘low-carbon heating systems’ in the questionnaire statements.  

Base: All wave respondents: Statements 1-5 – Winter 2021 / Winter 2023 / Winter 20204: expensive to install (3,684/3,723/3,203), would heat people’s homes better than the conventional systems (3,679/3,719/3,199), cheaper to run than conventional systems (3,680/3,721/3,203), less reliable than conventional systems (3,677/3,718/3,197), conventional systems should be more expensive (3,676/3,719/3,200).  

** Statement 6 added in 2022, so baseline is Winter 2022 for this statement only: Winter 2022 / Winter 2023 / Winter 2024: I would know where to find reliable information on LHCS (3,551/3,720/3,197)

Analysis by subgroups 

Across the statements about low carbon heating systems (LCHS), the following general trends were observed: 

By age: 

• Older people were more likely than younger people to express attitudes that suggested cost would be a barrier. This trend was observed as follows: 

  • Between 44% and 51% of people in age groups 35 or over agreed that LCHS would be expensive to install compared with 36% across age groups 16 to 34.  

  • People in age groups 55 and over were less likely to agree that LCHS would be cheaper to run (between 13% and 18% compared with between 24% and 25% of those in age groups 16 to 44). 

  • People aged 65 and over were less likely to agree that conventional heating systems should increase in price to make LCHS more attractive (9% compared with 25% of those aged 16 to 24).  

  • Older people were also more likely than middle-aged groups to respond with ‘don’t know/don’t have enough information’ for most statements. For example, 58% of those aged 65 and over were unsure whether LCHS would be less reliable than conventional systems compared to between 39% and 45% of those in age groups 35 to 64. 

By tenure: 

• People living in owner-occupier households were more likely than renters to agree that LCHS would be expensive to install (51% compared with 33%) and to disagree that conventional heating systems should increase in price to make LCHS more attractive (45% compared with 26%). 

• Owner-occupiers were also more likely to feel they know where to find reliable information on LCHS (34% compared with 23%). 

By geography: 

• In general, London residents were more positive about low carbon heating. For example, London residents were more likely to think that LCHS would heat people’s homes better (27% vs 18% overall), that they would be cheaper to run (28% vs 21% overall), and that conventional heating systems should increase in price to make LCHS more attractive (20% vs 15% overall). 

• On the other hand, residents in Wales were less positive on some measures including thinking that LCHS would heat people’s homes better (10% vs 18% overall) and that conventional heating systems should increase in price to make LCHS more attractive (6% vs 15% overall).

Heating and cooling in the home 

People are asked annually in Winter waves^{[footnote 3]} about the main systems used to heat and cool their homes. The results have been weighted to represent all households.  

In Winter 2024, as in previous years, the main system for heating the home was gas central heating (50%) (Figure 4.7). This has decreased from 58% in Winter 2023, following a sharp decrease from 78% in Winter 2021. This has been displaced primarily by portable electric heaters: 17% reported using these in Winter 2024, up from 14% in Winter 2023 and 3% in Winter 2021. The proportion reporting natural gas fixed room heaters has also increased over time to 6%, from 1% in Winter 2021.

Figure 4.7: Main method of heating home (% based on all households), Winter 2021 to 2024

HEATMAIN. What is the main way you heat your home?  

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2021 (3,484), Winter 2022 (3,573), Winter 2023 (3,585), Winter 2024 (3,050)  

Note: At this question, results are weighted to households (not individuals)

Analysis by subgroups 

By tenure: 

• Use of gas central heating was higher among those living in owner-occupied households (53% compared with 44% in rented households) while rented households were more likely to use portable heaters (21% compared with 16% of owner-occupied households). 

 By geography:  

• Reported use of gas central heating was most common in the South East (59%) compared to England overall (51%), Scotland (48%), Wales (44%) and Northern Ireland (31%).  

• Reported use of oil central heating was most common in Northern Ireland (25% vs 4% overall) and to a lesser extent in the East of England (10%). 

• People in the East of England were least likely to use portable electric heaters (11% vs 17% overall).  

 By financial hardship: 

• People who said that they were finding it difficult to manage financially were less likely to use gas central heating (44% compared to 52% who felt they were living comfortably or doing alright).  

• On the other hand, portable electric heaters were more common among those who were finding it difficult to manage financially (25% vs 16% of those feeling more financially comfortable).  

Respondents were also asked how they mainly cool their homes when needed (Figure 4.8). As in previous years people were most likely to report opening the windows and doors (76%) and this remains lower than in Winter 2021 (80%). Plug-in fans were used by 15% of people as a cooling method (no change from Winter 2023).

Figure 4.8: Main method of cooling home (% based on all households), Winter 2021 to 2024

COOLMAIN. What is the main way you cool your home when you need to?  

Base: All wave households – Winter 2021 (3,705), individuals - Winter 2022 (3,546), Winter 2023 (3,732) 

Note: At this question, results for Winter 2021 are weighted to households and to individuals for Winter 2022 and Winter 2023, Winter 2024 (3,190)

Analysis by subgroups 

There are limited subgroup findings to report for this question, however there were some differences by geography: 

• Use of plug-in fans was reported most often by people living in the West Midlands (27%) and the East of England (25%); in contrast fan use was lowest in Scotland (1%).  

• People living in the North East were most likely to say they never cool their home (13%) than those living in all other geographies within England (between 2% and 6%). 

Likelihood to Replace heating systems 

Questions are also asked annually, in Winter, about replacing heating systems. In Winter 2024 15% said that they would consider replacing their system while it was still working, and 51% said they would only do so when their current system deteriorates or breaks down (Figure 4.9). These percentages are in line with Winter 2023, but there has been a small decline over time in the proportion willing to replace a working system, from 19% in Winter 2021 to 15% in Winter 2024.

Figure 4.9: Whether would replace heating system while it was still working (% based on all people), Winter 2021 to 2024

REPLACEHEAT. Now thinking about your heating system. Which one of these statements comes closest to your view?  

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2021 (3,702), Winter 2022 (3,570), Winter 2023 (3,739), Winter 2024 (3,209)

Analysis by subgroups 

The proportion saying they would replace a working system was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People with a degree: 22% compared with 5% of those with no qualifications. 

• People who pay at least a fair amount of attention to the amount of heat used in the home: 17% compared with 3% of those who pay no attention. 

• People who felt they were financially managing comfortably: 22% compared with 13% of those who were finding it very difficult. 

Those who said they would consider replacing a working heating system (15% of people) were asked to choose their most important consideration for doing this (Figure 4.10). In Winter 2024 51% said that their most important consideration would be to save money on heating bills, no change from Winter 2023 (47%) but still higher than at the Winter 2021 baseline (40%).  

The second most selected consideration was switching to a more environmentally friendly system (38%). This reason was selected less often than in Winter 2023 (44%) and remains well below the Winter 2021 baseline level (53%).

Figure 4.10: Most important consideration in changing heating system (% based on those who would replace their system while it was still working), Winter 2021 to 2024

REPLACEIMP. Which one of these would be the most important consideration in changing your heating system?  

Base: All wave respondents who would replace their heating system while it is still working – Winter 2021 (775), Winter 2022 (689), Winter 2023 (662), Winter 2024 (585)

Trust in heating system installation advice 

Respondents were further asked who they would trust to provide advice about which heating system to install in their home^{[footnote 4]}. Figure 4.11 shows the results for the Winter 2021 baseline and for the two most recent previous waves only.  

In Winter 2024, unchanged from previous years, the most trusted source of advice was a tradesperson (44%). The next two most trusted sources (both forms of government advice) were energy advice websites and helplines (39% up from 36% in Winter 2023), and any other GOV.UK information source (41% up from 33% in Winter 2023).  

There was also an increase since Winter 2023 in the proportion selecting a low-carbon heating specialist (35%, up from 32%) and an energy supplier (25%, up from 21%). Around a quarter of people selected each of a heating system/boiler manufacturer (28%), and friends and family (26%).

Figure 4.11: Who do people trust to provide advice on which heating system to install (% based on all people), baseline wave (Winter 2021) and two most recent waves (Winter 2023 & Winter 2024)^{[footnote 5]}

TRUSTHEAT. Which of the following would you trust to provide advice about which heating system to install in your home? Please select all that apply.   

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2021 (3,706), Winter 2022 (3,564), Winter 2023 (3,704), Winter 2024 (3,213)

Analysis by subgroups 

By age: 

• People aged 65 and over were less likely to trust information from GOV.UK (31% compared with between 40% and 49% of those in all younger age groups).  

• Younger people aged 16-24 were more likely to trust friends and family (34% compared with 21% of those aged 65+) and energy suppliers (33% compared with 17%). 

 By education:  

• People with a degree were more likely than those with no qualifications to trust most sources of information. The largest difference was observed for low-carbon heating specialists: 46% of those with a degree compared with 20% of those with no qualifications.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) 

People are asked questions annually in Winter to assess awareness of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and their ratings. This includes questions to assess their recollection of the recommendations in their home’s EPC, and how useful those recommendations were. 

In Winter 2024, 80% of people said they had heard of EPCs; 16% reported knowing their exact rating for their home, while 21% said they at least had a sense of what it was (Figure 4.12). These figures were in line with Winter 2023 but remained higher than the Winter 2021 baseline (76% awareness, 13% knowing the exact rating).

Figure 4.12: Awareness of EPC rating for home (% based on all people), Winter 2021 to 2024

EPCKNOW. Do you know what the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating for your home is? 

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2021 (3,700), Winter 2022 (3,569), Winter 2023 (3,733), Winter 2024 (3,209)

Analysis by subgroups 

Knowledge of the exact EPC rating for their home was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age groups from 25 to 44: between 22% and 23% compared with 5% of those aged 16 to 24 and between 13% and 14% of those in age groups 55 and over. 

• Owner-occupiers: 19% compared with those in rented accommodation (12%); knowledge was especially low among those who were social housing renters (8%). 

• People who paid a lot of attention to the amount of heat used in their home: 21% compared with 11% of those who paid a little or hardly any attention.  

Among those aware of EPCs, 32% in Winter 2024 recalled seeing the section in their home’s EPC that recommends ways to improve energy efficiency (Figure 4.13). This was similar to Winter 2023 but slightly higher than the Winter 2021 baseline (27%). 

When based on all people, 25% said that they were aware of this section of the EPC, up from 23% in Winter 2023 and 21% in Winter 2021.

Figure 4.13: Awareness of recommendations section on EPC (% based on those who were aware of EPCs and % based on all people), Winter 2021 to 2024

EPCSEEN. Have you ever seen a section on your Energy Performance Certificate which recommended how you could improve the energy efficiency of your home? 

Base: All wave respondents aware of EPCs – Winter 2021 (2,963), Winter 2022 (2,835), Winter 2023 (3,093), Winter 2024 (2,759); All wave respondents– Winter 2021 (3,684), Winter 2022 (3,569), Winter 2023 (3,733), Winter 2024 (3,209)

Changes based on EPC Recommendations 

Respondents who recalled seeing the section of their EPC on energy efficiency were asked whether they had made large or small changes to their home based on these recommendations. Overall, in Winter 2024, 26% of those who had seen it reported making large changes and 43% making small changes.  

Combining both small and large changes, 65% said they had made changes based on recommendations they had seen. This was down from 72% in Winter 2023 but higher than the Winter 2021 baseline (61%). 

Where changes had been made, a clarification question was asked to confirm whether people had made the changes directly or partly because of the guidance in their home’s EPC, or if they would have made the changes anyway (Figure 4.14).  

Of those who said they had seen the section of their EPC on energy efficiency, 34% said they made these changes based on the EPC’s recommendations, down from 39% in Winter 2023, but higher than 29% at the Winter 2021 baseline. Based on all people, this equates to 9% of all people who made changes to their home as a result of seeing the energy efficiency recommendations in their home’s EPC.

Figure 4.14: Percentage who had made any changes to home because of recommendations on EPC (% based on those who had seen the EPC recommendations section and on all people), Winter 2021 to 2024

EPCIMPROVE. Now think about the recommendations you saw on your Energy Performance Certificate on how you could improve the energy efficiency of your home. Did you make any changes to your home based on these recommendations? Please select all that apply. 

EPCDIRECT. And did you make these changes…? 

Base: All wave respondents who saw EPC recommendations section – Winter 2021 (854), Winter 2022 (722), Winter 2023 (903), Winter 2024 (894) / All wave respondents – Winter 2021 (3,706), Winter 2022 (3,569), Winter 2023 (3,733), Winter 2024 (3,209)

Awareness of rental property standards 

In Spring 2022, Winter 2022 and Winter 2023, people were asked how much they knew about the minimum energy standards for rental properties^{[footnote 6]}.  

In Winter 2024, 51% of people said that they were aware of these standards, with 7% saying they knew a lot or a fair amount (Figure 4.15). Overall awareness remained in line with Winter 2023 but there has been a small increase from 47% in Winter 2022. 

Among renters, 48% said they were aware of minimum energy standards for rental properties, with 5% saying they knew a lot or a fair amount. This has not changed from previous waves.

Figure 4.15: Awareness of energy efficiency standards in rental properties (% based on all people and % based on all renters), Winter 2022, Winter 2023, Winter 2024

RENTALSTAND. The next question is on energy standards in rental properties. How much, if anything, do you know about the minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties? 

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2022 (3,519) Winter 2023 (3,682), Winter 2024 (3,187); Renters – Winter 2022 (869), Winter 2023 (857), Winter 2024 (599).

Analysis by subgroups 

Overall awareness was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age groups from 25 to 54: between 55% and 56% compared with between 46% and 48% of those in age groups 55 and over. 

• People with a degree: 60% compared with 39% of those with no qualifications. 

• People living in the East Midlands and the South West (both 57%); in contrast, overall awareness was lowest in Yorkshire and the Humber (44%). 

• Owner-occupiers: 53% compared with 48% of renters. 

There were similar patterns of difference for knowledge levels.

Further findings on heat and energy in the home 

In previous waves, questions were included on other topics relating to heat and energy in the home. The latest findings relating to these topics can be found as follows: 

• Types of insulation in the home, see Winter 2022 report on heat and energy in the home - section on ‘Insulation in the home’’ 

• Consideration of solar panels in the home, including motivators for their use, see Spring 2024 report on heat and energy use in the home – section on ‘Attitudes towards solar panels in the home’

1. Results throughout this section are weighted by individual. In practice, the differences between weighting these results by individual or by household are minor and do not change the narrative of the results. ↩

2. Respondents could also provide an ‘other’ response. Based on these verbatim entries, in Winter 2024, 2% cited environmental concerns. As these responses mainly referred to biomass boilers rather than heat pump systems, this code was omitted from the chart to ensure the data remained relevant to all the systems being assessed. ↩

3. Two methods of heating that had been reported by under 1% of respondents at previous waves were removed from the answer list in 2023 (fixed LPG room heaters and fixed solid fuel room heaters). ↩

4. There were a number of changes to the answer list in Winter 2023, with the ‘Simple Energy Advice website or similar website’ replaced by ‘Energy advice websites or helplines e.g., “Find Ways to Save Energy in Your Home”’, and ‘Gov.uk’ replaced with ‘any other Gov.uk source’. Due to the changes in wording, they should not be compared with earlier results. ↩

5. The code ‘Conducting my own research (for example, online searches, reading reviews’) was added in Winter 2024 from the open text data collected in ‘Other’ for the question TRUSTHEAT. ↩

6. Data for Spring 2022 is not included in this report to allow for a clearer annual comparison of Winter waves only. Spring 2022 data is included in the report in Winter 2023. ↩