ECIU: Leaky homes and extended lockdown could exacerbate households' Covid-19 financial struggles

Cecilia Keating
clock • 3 min read

A new analysis by the ECIU notes that extended lockdown into the winter months could exacerbate fuel poverty in the UK and calls on the government to implement vast energy efficiency programmes for homes that will lower heating bills while reducing carbon, spurring jobs and levelling regional inequalites.

Families living in the UK's 'leakiest' homes could have to shell out roughly £50 more a month on heating bills than those who live in better-insulated buildings if the coronavirus lockdown is extended...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Energy

Study: Moving levies off energy bills could save households up to £530 a year

Study: Moving levies off energy bills could save households up to £530 a year

Latest calls for reforms to green levy regime come as analysts warn conflict in Middle East is set to result in a 10 per cent increase in energy bills

James Murray
clock 05 March 2026 • 4 min read
Analysts warn Middle East crisis set to push up energy bills by around 10 per cent

Analysts warn Middle East crisis set to push up energy bills by around 10 per cent

Snap analysis from Cornwall Insight suggests energy price cap currently on track to rise by £160, but sustained increase in gas prices could drive still higher levels of inflation

James Murray
clock 04 March 2026 • 4 min read
The UK is successfully building a clean electricity system - so what explains calls to change course?

The UK is successfully building a clean electricity system - so what explains calls to change course?

We should be sceptical when commentators play fast and loose with data to argue more fossil fuels are the answer - but there's still plenty of work to do to make sure people see the benefit of clean energy, argues Green Alliance's Stuart Dossett

Stuart Dossett, Green Alliance
clock 04 March 2026 • 5 min read