A silver bullet? The surprising knock-on effects of insulating Scotland's draughty homes – Ross Armstrong
Having a warm home can cut energy bills, improve your health, help you sleep and even improve your social life
In folklore, silver bullets were the ammunition of choice when it came to despatching werewolves and other supernatural beings. Today, these mythical missiles are mainly found in our political discourse. Critics seek them out when they demand simple solutions to complex problems, while those in power often respond by denying their existence.
Privately, everyone would acknowledge there is no one policy intervention that can resolve all of society’s woes. While neither supernatural nor natural, problems linked to poverty and the rising cost of living appear particularly challenging to defeat, whatever brand of weaponry is deployed.
However, it is clear some lines of attack are more effective than others. In an age of pressure on public finances, the focus of government and its agencies is increasingly on initiatives that offer the best value for money, particularly those that can make inroads on multiple strategic goals simultaneously.
Rising energy bills
A shining example of an intervention that has far broader social and economic benefits can be found in the investment of public funds in schemes designed to tackle fuel poverty. The scale of the problem remains a national crisis, with more than a quarter of Scots unable to affordably heat their homes and left at risk of a cold, damp property when winter takes hold.
Indeed, the warmer weather this summer has offered cold comfort to many after it was confirmed the energy price cap would rise by an average of 13 per cent from July 1, amid the fall-out from the US-Israeli military action in Iran. This week, Ofgem announced the price cap would increase again by 4 per cent from October 1, raising bills to their highest level in three years.
Helping people who are in or at risk of fuel poverty is the reason that Warmworks exists. We were founded in 2015 as a joint venture partnership between Energy Saving Trust, Changeworks and Sureserve.
Since then, we have supported more than 50,000 households in Scotland as the managing agent of the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland and other similar initiatives with local authorities and housing associations across Scotland and England.
The scheme offers funding for wall insulation, loft insulation, draught-proofing, renewables and central heating – including new air-source heat pumps or gas boilers. Having already worked with so many homes and families to increase the energy efficiency of their property, we have long been aware that these kinds of upgrades do much more than warm homes.
Less pressure on the NHS
Now, the true scale of the benefits has been independently laid bare in a wide-ranging analysis carried out by the Social Value Lab, which surveyed more than 860 householders over an 18-month period. The majority had received a replacement heating system, while around half had also further improvements such as insulation, ventilation and draught elimination.
As might have been expected, more than eight out of every 10 respondents said their homes were warmer and/or less damp and better insulated because of the work. And more than half reported that the amount they spend on heating their home had decreased.
This positive impact is vital in an era of high energy bills, with too many households still facing a choice between heating their homes and putting food on the table. However, as important as it is to lower energy bills, the research confirmed the impact of these upgrades goes much further.
Indeed, almost three quarters of customers surveyed said the investment in improving the energy efficiency of their homes had improved their health and/or wellbeing, by easing stress levels and mental health pressures, as well as simply allowing residents to get a better night’s sleep. These improved health outcomes will reduce the strain on GP appointments and hospital admissions, resulting in eased pressures and cost savings for the NHS.
Amid growing concern about social isolation, the study also found investment in our projects had led to improved confidence and self-esteem for 59 per cent of respondents, while almost a third said they had become more socially active. Much of this related to having greater confidence to invite friends and family into a home.
Meanwhile, almost eight out of every ten respondents said the work had reduced barriers which had previously prevented them from seeking further financial support. And almost half of householders with children said having a warmer home had contributed to improvements to their children’s educational experience, including through better concentration and sleep.
Economic benefits
Beyond the social impact, the researchers also found widespread benefits for the economy. For example, the study surveyed a broad spectrum of small and medium-sized installation companies in the energy efficiency supply chain, with close to nine out of every ten reporting the investment had created greater financial security and enabled firms to recruit additional employees and take on more apprentices and trainees.
Overall, the analysis estimates that public investment of £174.6 million in fuel poverty initiatives delivered by Warmworks across two years had been worth a total of £403.3m to the economy and social policy outcomes. In other words, for every £1 invested, there was a return of £2.31 in wider benefits.
Nobody could claim that energy efficiency upgrades alone represent silver bullets that can eradicate fuel poverty, let alone poverty generally. These remain among the greatest challenges of our time, requiring an arsenal of interventions over a prolonged period.
But it is clear that funding for more efficient heating and improved insulation offer a substantial bang for every invested buck, which is a critical signpost for future policy priorities as another challenging winter looms large on the horizon.
Ross Armstrong is chief executive of energy efficiency company Warmworks
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