01 September 2011 10:07
Around £1 billion* wasted each year by UK households because they ‘can't be bothered' to insulate

According to new research² from E.ON, one in 10 UK households is missing out on huge savings by not having their cavity walls and lofts insulated, claiming that they simply ‘can't be bothered'. Other excuses given include having too much clutter in the loft (9%), not having a ladder (3%), and not knowing how to go about it (15%).

Insulation experts at E.ON calculated that the average home can save up to £390 a year on their energy bills^* by insulating homes with cavity wall and loft insulation, yet over half of the UK (57%) had no idea that such savings are possible.

Surprisingly, 17% of respondents felt they couldn't afford to insulate their homes when it can cost from as little as £99 and can pay for itself in just four months³.

For those unaware of the £99 professional installation offer, DIY-laziness was cited as a major cause for missing out on the huge savings available, with almost one third of men making excuses to avoid the perceived hassle.

Kevin Bryant, Energy Fitness Instructor at E.ON, said: "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.

"With a quarter of heat lost through uninsulated roofs and a third through uninsulated walls, installing cavity wall or loft insulation is one the best long-term approaches you can make to getting your home more energy fit. It's easy. Just give us a call and we'll make sure everything is taken care of from measuring up to the installation itself."

Breaking a widely-believed myth that insulation only provides vital savings in winter, 60% of respondents didn't know that as well as keeping their homes warmer in the colder months, insulation also helps keep homes cooler in the summer.

The E.ON Energy Fit Survey offers households a tailored plan to help them become more energy efficient, and most importantly, make valuable savings off their energy bills.

To take our short survey and find out how much you could save, go to eonenergyfit.com.

To find out more about E.ON's £99 home insulation offer visit eonenergy.com/insulation or call 0845 301 4927, Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm, Saturday, 8am-4pm.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• *Calculation: 2.6 million (10% of total UK households) x £390. Installing cavity wall and loft insulation can reduce your heating bills by as much as £390 a year for a 1940s three bed semi detached home with a 10 year old gas boiler and a gas price of 3.73p/kWh. More modern homes save less. Individual savings depend on a large number of factors and the £390 quoted should be treated as a guide. Also many customers like to have a warmer home, making it more comfortable. This reduces the saving. But even allowing for this, both forms of insulation are a worthwhile investment;
• 2. Research carried out by OnePoll with 2,000 respondents in August 2011;
• 3. E.ON's cavity wall and loft insulation starts at a cost of £99 each. Offer end date of 16 September 2011.
• E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies;

•·         Follow @eonenergyfit on Twitter at www.twitter.com/eonenergyfit;

•·         Find Energy Fit on Facebook at www.facebook.com/eonenergyfit.

For more information please contact:

Rebecca Bieniaszewska on 02476 183 202 or Rebecca.Bieniaszewska@eon-uk.com