Research reveals over 6 million British children could be facing cold bedtimes this winter, with half of parents (49%) worried their children will be cold at home when temperatures drop.
The new data indicated that almost a quarter of Brits (24%) cannot keep their house warm when it’s cold, no matter what they try.
As a result, a third of parents (32%) admit they’ve had to put their children to bed in a cold room and a further 39% worry the temperature of their house is bad for their family’s health on cold days.
The research, conducted by the home heating experts at SpeedComfort, reveals the scale of British homes’ cold crisis, with many homes falling short of recommended healthy temperatures.
On average, Brits anticipate the temperatures inside their homes will drop to 12.8°C this winter. This is five degrees colder than the recommended healthy temperature for adults to live and sleep in (18°C) and three degrees colder than the minimum safe temperature for infants to sleep in (16°C), according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The impact of this on families across the UK is significant. According to the NHS, consistently being cold can have a detrimental impact on you and your family’s physical health.
The latest findings support this. 43% claim being cold at home causes them physical discomfort, over a quarter (28%) say they’re ill more often when it’s cold, and 41% report feeling down when they’re cold.
In addition to affecting families, the research found that cold temperatures are set to have a big impact on the UK’s most vulnerable citizens, with older people most likely to be cold at home this winter (37%).
This is concerning, given that they are more susceptible to the mental and physical effects of the cold. Half of over 65s say the cold causes discomfort and almost the same proportion (49%) state it makes them feel low (8% higher than the average Brit).
Wouter Heuterman, CEO of SpeedComfort, comments: “With the cost of living crisis continuing to affect so many families across the UK, it’s heartbreaking to see that so many people are worried about keeping their families safe and warm at home this winter.
“The cold has a huge impact on how we feel both physically and emotionally. For families with children and vulnerable people, the impact of cold temperatures is even further exacerbated.
“So, if you’re worried about the health of your family this winter, it’s well worth considering alternative ways of keeping your home warm when temperatures drop. To help with this, we’ve created a guide for staying warm without increasing energy usage this winter.”
Find out how to stay warm on a budget this winter.