Citizens Advice has found that one in six Britons have resorted to measures such as sleeping in the kitchen, taking time off work or booking hotel rooms this summer, as the charity warns that millions of people are effectively trapped in homes they cannot keep cool.
One in six Britons have taken what Citizens Advice describes as “drastic action” to cope with extreme summer heat, including sleeping in the kitchen, missing work or booking hotel rooms. The charity said millions of people across the UK are “trapped in homes they can’t cool,” with almost half of those surveyed, 44%, saying they lack the basic ability to stop their homes overheating. Citizens Advice is calling on the Government to act on what it describes as a “now year-round crisis,” spanning soaring summer heat and unaffordable winter energy bills.
Scale of the problem
According to the survey, around 8.8 million adults, roughly one in six of the UK population, have taken at least one drastic measure over the past year to escape overheating at home. Reported actions included sleeping in unconventional places such as the kitchen, garden or on a balcony, taking sick days, unpaid leave or annual leave from work, or paying for hotel stays to escape the heat.
A further four million people told Citizens Advice they had resorted to makeshift solutions, such as taping tin foil, cardboard or damp sheets to their windows, in an effort to keep indoor temperatures down.
Renters worse affected than homeowners
The survey found a marked difference between those who rent and those who own their homes. Just over half of tenants, 51%, including both private renters and those in social housing, said they lacked the control needed to prevent their homes overheating, compared with 40% of homeowners.
Citizens Advice attributes much of the problem to the design of UK housing stock, arguing that many homes were originally built to retain heat during winter, leaving them poorly suited to the increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves the country has experienced in recent summers. The charity said this issue, combined with the cost of cooling equipment such as air conditioning, was leaving many people feeling powerless in the face of hot weather.
Calls for government and landlord action
Citizens Advice is calling on the Government to introduce minimum standards addressing overheating in homes, comparable to existing standards already in place for insulation and energy efficiency. The charity also wants landlords to be required to address excessive indoor temperatures, particularly in rented properties, where tenants often have limited scope to make improvements themselves.
Wider context
The UK has experienced a series of increasingly severe heatwaves in recent years, and health experts have warned that overheating homes are becoming a growing public health concern, particularly for older people, young children and those with underlying health conditions. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advises people to keep curtains or blinds closed on sun-facing windows during the day, avoid using ovens where possible, and ventilate homes overnight once outdoor temperatures fall.
Research has shown that top-floor flats, modern airtight homes and properties with large south-facing windows are among those most prone to overheating in hot weather. Climate projections suggest the UK can expect hotter, longer and more frequent heatwaves as global temperatures continue to rise, adding to the urgency of ensuring homes remain comfortable throughout the year rather than only during winter.
Campaigners argue that improving homes to better withstand heat could also reduce reliance on energy-intensive cooling systems in the long run, helping to lower household energy bills and cut carbon emissions.
