Households in Britain have the heating on for an average of 4.7 hours a day during the colder months, according to research from ScS.
Glaswegians keep the heating on for the longest, at 5.4 hours a day. The Midlands comes second and third, with people in Nottingham keeping the heating on for 5.2 hours a day and Birmingham for 5.1 hours.
The UK cities where residents keep the heating on the longest (on average):
- Glasgow – 5.4 hours
- Nottingham – 5.2 hours
- Birmingham – 5.1 hours
- Sheffield – 5.0 hours
- Leeds – 4.9 hours
- Liverpool – 4.9 hours
- London – 4.9 hours
In some areas, residents are keeping the heating on for even longer. 12% of those from Glasgow and 10% of those from Nottingham and Sheffield 10% keep theirs on for 12+ hours every day. 19% of Londoners heat their homes for 6-8 hours a day.
The UK cities where residents are most likely to keep the heating on for 12+ hours a day:
- Glasgow (12%)
- Nottingham (10%)
- Sheffield (10%)
- Cardiff (9%)
- Birmingham (8%)
The research shows those in the north of England are a little more sparing with their heating, with 17% of those living in Manchester and Newcastle limiting their heating to just 1-2 hours a day.
The average temperature Brits leave their thermostat at is 21°C. Despite this, 13% of Brits have their heating high at 25°C or above.
Although they don’t leave the heating on for long each day, 11% of those from Belfast keep it at 25°C. ScS says that if homes are well insulated, turning the heating up high for a short amount of time might be a good way to heat up homes for less.
The research also shows that those who leave their heating on longer do so at a lower temperature. 25% of those in Birmingham, 25% in Sheffield, and 24% in Liverpool set their thermostat to 18°C or lower.