Concerns about fuel poverty and people not being able to heat their homes adequately are not new in the UK, but these worries have been heightened by significant increases in energy costs and the cost-of-living crisis. And as winter approaches, things are about to get a lot worse.
Despite a relatively mild climate, the UK has higher levels of excess winter deaths – deaths associated with cold weather – than many colder countries. This greater exposure to cold, despite milder weather, is related to poor housing quality, the high cost of heating homes and poverty.
We know quite a lot about how living in a home that you can’t keep warm enough affects your physical health. Colder temperatures suppress the immune system, for example. But we know relatively little about the effects on mental health. Our new research shows that living in a cold home is a significant mental health risk.
