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One in 10 UK homeowners 'can't be bothered' to insulate their cavity walls and lofts, according to the energy firm
Ten per cent of UK homeowners simply "can't be bothered" to insulate their cavity walls and lofts, missing out on savings of around £390 a year, according to a new study from Eon.
Research carried out last month by OnePoll of 2,000 people revealed a myriad of reasons homeowners give for failing to insulate their homes.
Fifteen per cent did not know how to go about insulating their homes, while nine per cent had too much clutter in the loft to install lagging. Three per cent cited the lack of a ladder as a major hurdle.
Eon has estimated that the average home could save up to £390 a year by installing cavity wall and loft insulation, but 17 per cent of respondents said they couldn't afford to insulate their home.
The government is hoping that its Green Deal energy efficiency loan scheme will encourage more people to insulate their homes when it is launched next year.
The deal will attach the payback to a property's energy bill in an attempt to reduce the upfront costs of installing efficiency measures.
DECC is also launching a series of trials this month with DIY retailers, local authorities and utilities to see whether it can "nudge" people into using less energy.
B&Q and Sutton Council will consider offering a subsidised loft clearance service to test whether removing the "hassle" factor of insulation motivates people to make efficiency improvements.
Meanwhile, Homebase and Carillion will team up with a local authority to test the impact of upfront rewards to residents who purchase energy efficiency measures. The offer will include a one-month council tax holiday, or vouchers to spend in store.
First Utility and Opower will also carry out a trial to investigate the effect of behavioural feedback, including comparative consumption data, on consumer energy use.
Commenting on the research today, Kevin Bryant, energy fitness instructor at Eon, urged people to insulate their homes rather than cranking up the heating.
"When we feel the cold, it's very tempting to turn on or turn up the heating, but there are other long-term solutions which can make a big difference and help you save money on your bills," he said.
"With a quarter of heat lost through uninsulated roofs and a third through uninsulated walls, installing cavity wall or loft insulation is one of the best long-term approaches to getting your home more energy fit."
According to DECC, a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions comes from the energy used in homes and a similar amount comes from businesses, industry and workplaces.
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