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Home is where the hearth is: Grant recipients' views of England's Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Warm Front)

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  • Gilbertson, Jan
  • Stevens, Maryjane
  • Stiell, Bernadette
  • Thorogood, Nicki

Abstract

This paper reports the results of research carried out as part of the national health impact evaluation of the Warm Front Scheme, a government initiative aimed at alleviating fuel poverty in England. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in a purposive sample of 49 households which received home energy improvements under the Scheme from five urban areas (Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton). Each household had received installation, replacement or refurbishment of the heating system and, in some cases, also insulation of the cavity wall or loft or both, and draught-proofing measures. Most householders reported improved and more controllable warmth and hot water. Many also reported perceptions of improved physical health and comfort, especially of mental health and emotional well-being and, in several cases, the easing of symptoms of chronic illness. There were reports of improved family relations, an expansion of the domestic space used during cold months, greater use of kitchens and improved nutrition, increased privacy, improved social interaction, and an increase in comfort and atmosphere within the home. Greater warmth and comfort also enhanced emotional security, and recipients were more content and at ease in their homes. However there was little evidence of substantially lower heating bills. These results provide evidence that Warm Front home energy improvements are accompanied by appreciable benefits in terms of use of living space, comfort and quality of life, physical and mental well-being, although there is only limited evidence of change in health behaviour.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilbertson, Jan & Stevens, Maryjane & Stiell, Bernadette & Thorogood, Nicki, 2006. "Home is where the hearth is: Grant recipients' views of England's Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Warm Front)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 946-956, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:63:y:2006:i:4:p:946-956
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chandola, Tarani & Kuper, Hannah & Singh-Manoux, Archana & Bartley, Mel & Marmot, Michael, 2004. "The effect of control at home on CHD events in the Whitehall II study: Gender differences in psychosocial domestic pathways to social inequalities in CHD," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(8), pages 1501-1509, April.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Hutchinson, Emma J. & Wilkinson, Paul & Hong, Sung H. & Oreszczyn, Tadj, 2006. "Can we improve the identification of cold homes for targeted home energy-efficiency improvements?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(11), pages 1198-1209, November.
    3. Lucie Middlemiss, 2022. "Who is vulnerable to energy poverty in the Global North, and what is their experience?," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(6), November.
    4. Davillas, Apostolos & Burlinson, Andrew & Liu, Hui-Hsuan, 2022. "Getting warmer: Fuel poverty, objective and subjective health and well-being," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    5. Peng Nie & Yan Li & Lanlin Ding & Alfonso Sousa-Poza, 2021. "Housing Poverty and Healthy Aging in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-20, September.
    6. Willand, Nicola & Ridley, Ian & Maller, Cecily, 2015. "Towards explaining the health impacts of residential energy efficiency interventions – A realist review. Part 1: Pathways," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 191-201.
    7. Clair, Amy & Baker, Emma, 2022. "Cold homes and mental health harm: Evidence from the UK Household Longitudinal Study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    8. Day, Rosie, 2015. "Low carbon thermal technologies in an ageing society – What are the issues?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 250-256.
    9. Brunner, Karl-Michael & Spitzer, Markus & Christanell, Anja, 2012. "Experiencing fuel poverty. Coping strategies of low-income households in Vienna/Austria," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 53-59.
    10. Hope, Alexander John & Booth, Alexander, 2014. "Attitudes and behaviours of private sector landlords towards the energy efficiency of tenanted homes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 369-378.
    11. Kearns, Ade & Whitley, Elise & Curl, Angela, 2019. "Occupant behaviour as a fourth driver of fuel poverty (aka warmth & energy deprivation)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1143-1155.
    12. Marchand, Robert & Genovese, Andrea & Koh, S.C. Lenny & Brennan, Alan, 2019. "Examining the relationship between energy poverty and measures of deprivation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 206-217.
    13. Berry, Stephen & Davidson, Kathryn, 2016. "Improving the economics of building energy code change: A review of the inputs and assumptions of economic models," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 157-166.
    14. Maidment, Christopher D. & Jones, Christopher R. & Webb, Thomas L. & Hathway, E. Abigail & Gilbertson, Jan M., 2014. "The impact of household energy efficiency measures on health: A meta-analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 583-593.
    15. Thomson, Hilary & Thomas, Sian, 2015. "Developing empirically supported theories of change for housing investment and health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 205-214.
    16. Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2015. "Fuel poverty, affordability, and energy justice in England: Policy insights from the Warm Front Program," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P1), pages 361-371.
    17. Middlemiss, Lucie & Stevens, Merel & Ambrosio-Albalá, Pepa & Pellicer-Sifres, Victoria & van Grieken, Amy, 2023. "How do interventions for energy poverty and health work?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    18. Berry, Stephen & Whaley, David & Davidson, Kathryn & Saman, Wasim, 2014. "Near zero energy homes – What do users think?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 127-137.
    19. Scott, Fiona L. & Jones, Christopher R. & Webb, Thomas L., 2014. "What do people living in deprived communities in the UK think about household energy efficiency interventions?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 335-349.
    20. Camprubí, Lluís & Malmusi, Davide & Mehdipanah, Roshanak & Palència, Laia & Molnar, Agnes & Muntaner, Carles & Borrell, Carme, 2016. "Façade insulation retrofitting policy implementation process and its effects on health equity determinants: A realist review," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 304-314.
    21. Dominic Aitken & Philip Hodgson & Glenda Cook & Allison Lawson, 2017. "Facework and trust in facilitating health-focused housing interventions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, April.
    22. Recalde, Martina & Peralta, Andrés & Oliveras, Laura & Tirado-Herrero, Sergio & Borrell, Carme & Palència, Laia & Gotsens, Mercè & Artazcoz, Lucia & Marí-Dell’Olmo, Marc, 2019. "Structural energy poverty vulnerability and excess winter mortality in the European Union: Exploring the association between structural determinants and health," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    23. Liddell, Christine & Morris, Chris, 2010. "Fuel poverty and human health: A review of recent evidence," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 2987-2997, June.
    24. Nathan Bray & Paul Burns & Alice Jones & Eira Winrow & Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, 2017. "Costs and outcomes of improving population health through better social housing: a cohort study and economic analysis," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 62(9), pages 1039-1050, December.

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