Millennials and younger people are the most consistent group to be altering their behaviour due to the cost of living crisis – inadvertently leaving them potentially exposed to new risks, recent analysis shows.
Separate pieces of research, looking at changing shopping habits and changes in how people intend to heat themselves and their homes, revealed how younger people were consistently more likely to change their behaviour due to the significantly increased cost of living.
A survey surrounding shopping habits revealed that whilst swathes of the population were turning to second-hand electrical goods as an alternative to new, due to financial pressures, younger people were vastly more likely to do so.
These younger age groups were almost twice as likely to use an electric heater to heat a single room in their home due to concerns over the cost of energy than those aged 55 and over.
Younger people are also the most likely to demonstrate risky behaviour by plugging them into an extension lead – a mistake that could overload the extension lead and cause a fire.
Respondents who privately rented a property, were the most likely to turn to heaters.
As households turn to alternative heat sources this winter, a concerning finding was the likelihood of younger people to use an electric blanket as an alternative heat source to central heating due to concerns over the cost of energy.
Of all the age groups younger people between 16-24 and 25-34 were vastly more likely to use electric blankets in this way – three times more likely than those aged 55+.
Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First, said: “Younger people have become a new vulnerable group during the cost of living crisis in areas we may have traditionally focussed on other demographics. Attempts to be more thrifty in a cost of living crisis are likely contributing to younger people changing their behaviour more than any other age group but it’s imperative they do all they can to stay electrically safe. Fires do not discriminate and with evidence of such changing behaviour we want to ensure younger people take steps to reduce their risk."
The charity is urging younger people to follow this advice when using electric blankets, heaters and when buying second hand electrics. Check your electric blanket for frays in cabling and inspect it for scorch marks – if you find any of these stop using it.
- Roll your blanket as opposed to folding it. Over time folding can weaken the wiring in the blanket.
- Never leave your electric heater close to fabrics which might set alight.
- Don’t plug your heater into an extension lead as this could risk overloading.
- With second hand electricals, stick to brands you know and trust and purchase from reputable retailers such as the British Heart Foundation who have systems in place to ensure products re-sold to the public are safe
- Ask questions such as whether the product has been checked for a recall when buying second hand goods and ensure you check the product for damaged cables and any noticeable wear and tear
- Register any second hand product you buy with the manufacturer so that you can be contacted in the event a fault occurs.
- Visit Electrical Safety First's dedicated cost of living page for more advice on how to stay safe safe in the home when trying to save money at: https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/costofliving
