NICE makes clear recommendations in its guidance – Excess winter deaths and illness and the health risks associated with cold homes – on how to reduce the risk of death and ill health associated with living in a cold home. Keeping people warm helps meet a range of public health goals: 

• improving health and wellbeing amongst vulnerable groups 
• reducing preventable excess winter death rates 
• reducing cost and pressure on health and social care services. 

There are a wide range of health conditions made worse by living in a cold environment such as: 

• cardiovascular conditions 
• people with respiratory conditions, in particular chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and childhood asthma 
• illnesses affecting the immune system
• physical disabilities that limit mobility 

It is estimated that NHS spends up to £856m every year treating illnesses like these, and in 2020, 10,000 people are thought to have died as a result of living in a cold home.

A warm home also makes significant difference those undergoing treatments such as: 

• cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy 
• renal patients undergoing dialysis 
• or people who have just been discharged from hospital 

Energy Systems Catapult is an independent research and technology organisation. Our mission is to accelerate Net Zero energy innovation.

Our Fair Futures experts ensure we help deliver a just energy transition, championing and trialling approaches that support low income and vulnerable consumers. The Catapult has delivered Warm Home Prescription several UK NHS regions and supported many others to design their own.   

We also work with other stakeholders in the energy market to look beyond the immediate, short term need for warmth to deliver warmth in the long term, reducing the need for repeat funding of heating bills year on year.