Three in four pensioners admitted they were cold in their own homes in January

New research for the Charity Age UK has revealed that 3 in 4 (75% - equivalent to 9.1 million) aged 66 and over said that their homes were colder than they would like them to be some, most of or all of the time.

For those pensioners on low to modest household incomes of £20,000 or less, a massive one in three (35%) said their home was too cold most or all of the time.

A similar proportion of older private renters, 1 in 3 (34% ), also said their home was cold most or all of the time.

On the day Age UK delivers its 650,056 strong Save the Winter Fuel Payment for struggling pensioners petition to No.10 Downing Street, these findings for the Charity highlighted the significant pressures being felt by many pensioners this winter. Two in five (41%) pensioners said that they had recently had to cut back on heating or powering their home – equivalent to 5 million.

Nearly half (48%) of people aged 66+ revealed they were worried about being able to heat their homes when they wanted to, and 44% told Age UK they’re worried about the impact of energy prices on their health – noticeably higher than last year (January 2024) when 1 in 3 (33%) said they were worried about this.

As part of its campaign, Age UK launched a nationwide petition calling for the Government to halt their proposed change to the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) and think again. The Charity strongly opposed the cut to the WFP and repeatedly warned that at least 2.5 million older people would struggle without it and wouldn’t be able to afford to stay adequately warm in their homes.

Age UK’s Save the Winter Fuel Payment for struggling pensioners petition has captured hundreds of thousands of people’s views and experiences and shows the depth of feeling among the older population about the policy change. Here are just a few of the worrying comments the Charity has received since November:
Jay, 85, told Age UK: “I am constantly cold at home unless I am in bed. This way of living is restrictive and unhealthy too.”
Amanda, 69, commented: “It'll be a case of sitting in my dressing gown with my duvet over me. My monthly gas payment covers my gas cooker, I can't afford to run my cooker and my heating.”
Burton, 72, said: “So far this winter I have been freezing cold in my own home. I sit indoors wearing two coats, a hat, scarf, gloves and a rug over my legs. I have severe rheumatoid arthritis and living in cold conditions has made it much worse.”

Rosemary, 74, said: “My house was built in 1911 and it does not have cavity walls so it’s cold and slightly damp. The short notice did not give me any time to plan so I stay out during the day and go to warm places I can sit in. I only heat rooms for a limited period in the evening to between 18c and 19c. I also sit wrapped in a rug.”

Sally, 79, told Age UK: I’ve had to cut down on the food that I buy - usually just have one hot meal a week.”
New research for the Charity Age UK shows that there is broad public support for policy changes to help older people to stay warm. Eighty-five per cent (85%) agreed that pensioners with a disability should get the Winter Fuel Payment and 72% thought that the Government should provide additional funding to households on lower incomes so they can gain access to household energy efficiency improvements.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said: “This is the first January since the Government decided to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) and it is a national scandal that so many older people are saying they are cold in their own homes, some, most or all of the time. The position of those on lower incomes is worse still, with one in three saying they are cold at home most or all of the time. Rising energy prices are an important reason for this, but there's no doubt that the changes to eligibility for Winter Fuel Payment are also contributing, both directly and also through sapping the confidence of many older people to run their heating when it’s bitterly cold, for fear of an unaffordable bill.
“Today we will present Age UK’s #SaveWinterFuelPayment petition to No 10, backed by 650,056 people. Our petition shows the strength of support behind our Winter Fuel Payment campaign and we hope the Government will listen and commit to further action so we don’t see a repeat of this fiasco next year.

“We cannot and we must not go through this all over again next winter. Energy prices continue to rise and struggling older people must be better protected now and in the years to come. The Government must ensure that older people are able to be sufficiently warm through the colder months – something that clearly isn’t the case for millions at the moment. There are several ways for it to do this: it could re-instate the Winter Fuel Payment for older people who receive a wider range of benefits than just Pension Credit; it could reform and significantly extend eligibility for the Warm Home Discount; it could bring in a social tariff to give people on low incomes or those with high costs due to disability a guaranteed discounted energy deal; or it could pursue a combination of these kinds of measures.

“Doing nothing would however be completely unacceptable in the face of the evidence we are presenting today. Government spokespeople continue to assert that poor pensioners are being protected but that is simply not credible when there are still 700,000 pensioner households who are eligible for Pension Credit but not receiving it, according to the latest Government statistics, and when you consider the human reality behind the statistics we are releasing today.

“This winter has shown beyond any doubt that older people on low incomes and in vulnerable circumstances need more support with high energy prices that are expected to remain high for years to come, and the Government must respond.”

Age UK deeply regrets the Government’s decision to reform the WFP in the way it did and at such short notice. It is hugely concerned about the impact this is having on older people’s health this winter. It believes the Government can take further action to mitigate the impacts on older people and the NHS.

The Charity is calling on the Government to:
• Extend eligibility for the WFP to other pensioner benefits, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Attendance Allowance (and other disability benefits) and Carer’s Allowance.
• Adopt a sustained and strategic approach to tackle the persistently low take-up of Pension Credit and other pensioner benefits.
• Implement an energy social tariff which provides a unit-based discount to those with low-incomes, disabilities and for carers. It should also facilitate the continued funding of independent energy advice and support services.
• Bring forward the Warm Homes Plan as soon as possible, and ensuring those living in cold, damp and mouldy homes are prioritised for support.

Notes To Editors:

Age UK commissioned polling from respondents aged 66 and over. The research was conducted via an online omnibus survey with some computer assisted telephone interviews by Opinium for Age UK. A sample of 2,573 UK adults aged 66+ were interviewed 6th–16th January 2025. The data are nationally representative on age, gender and region. Figures are scaled up to the UK age 66+ population using Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates for 2023 to give estimates of the number of pensioners affected nationally.

To arrange a media briefing, please contact the Age UK press office via media@ageuk.org.uk or call 020 303 31430.

Age UK is urging any older person living on a low income or struggling with their bills to contact Age UK’s free Advice line on 0800 169 65 65 to check they’re receiving all the financial support available. Alternatively, people can visit www.ageuk.org.uk/money or contact their local Age UK for information and advice.

Age UK hosts a free and anonymous Benefits Calculator which can provide an estimate of the benefits that people could be entitled to.