Bringing Warmth to Wyndford

‘Maybe they didn’t believe us that we would actually do it …’ (Cube)

Sample characteristics

• N interviewed=154 60% are 1-person households, 26%@2, 8%@3,

4%@4, 3%@5;

• Persons in households: 215 (66% male; 34% female)

• Interviewed at home between mid-October and mid-November 2012, interviews lasting between 30-45 minutes on average.

Our targets

Characteristics

flat in 8 st

orey

flat in 14 sto

rey

flat in 26 sto

rey

maisonett

e flatother

05

10152025303540

1 year 2 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 20

20+05

1015202530

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+0

5

10

15

20

25

30

non-man

l upper

non-man

l lower

manual

studen

t

unemployed

retired

0102030405060

Dwelling Length of residence

Age of respondents Social class

Survey topics

• Population & dwelling characteristics;• Current (pre-change) heating & methods of

payment, – including spending on energy vis-à-vis income;

• Coping with (lack of) heating;• State of health of household;• Hopes & expectations for new heating system.

Satisfaction with housing and heating

Some surprises …

• House satisfaction is – highest among those living there for one year (92%); – high among people in the multis (76%); – age and sex don’t vary much;

• Heating dissatisfaction is – highest among those living there for 1 year; – living in the multis; – and younger people (no sex differences).

• Long stayers, and those not living in multis, are most content with heating.

How keen are people to have new heating?

very keen quite keen not very keen not at all0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

How cold was your home last winter?

all the time most of time some of time a little of time never0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

So what did people do?

wear outdoor clothing put off heating go to bed early go elsewhere cut down on food0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Paying for energy

<10% 10-20% 20-30% 30%+0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Can they afford it? – not on these incomes…

<£5000 pa £5-10,000 £10-15,000 £15,000+0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

How are people managing financially?

very well quite well get by alright not very well some difficulties deep difficulties0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Electricity costs by payment method

Electricity costs by household income

Electricity costs by dwelling type

Electricity costs by number of bedrooms

What do they think they’ll end up paying in new system?

more about the same less0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Has the disruption been worth it?

very disruptive quite not very not at all0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

So do they look forward to the new system, then?

being warm

controlling temperature

heating thehouse

reduced bills

money in pocket

better health

env energy

comfort

pride

hospitality

local energy

leisure at home

use space

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

very importantvery or quite important

What is important to people?

reduced fuel bills

being warm

controlling energy

easy heat

money in pocket

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

first mentionany mention

So does any of this matter?Yes it does ….

• >80% say their house is a place where they feel safe;• And >80% that it’s a place where they feel at home…BUTAs many as 25% say it is a place they want to get away from, And more than half (56%) that they would move house if they could.Why? There are pragmatic reasons

moving to a bigger or smaller house, getting old etc,

but the largest number – 22% - say they want to get out of the area.

And the proof of the pudding…

is in the heating