According to a report by Reuters on the 6th, a survey conducted by the UK Citizen Advice and Guidance Service found that one in six British citizens will resort to various 'extreme measures' to cope with heatwaves, including sleeping in the kitchen, missing work, or spending money to stay in hotels.
This non-profit organization stated that millions of people in the UK are “trapped in houses that cannot cool down.” Nearly half of the respondents (44%) believe they have little ability to prevent their homes from becoming overheated. The organization called on the government to take action to address this “ongoing crisis” throughout the year: unbearable summer heat and high energy bills in winter that are unaffordable for many people.
Surveys show that people have various ways of coping, including sleeping in unconventional places such as kitchens, gardens, and balconies, taking sick leave or unpaid time off from work, or using annual leave. Some also choose to spend money on hotels.
Another 4 million people said that they could only try traditional methods to reduce the temperature, such as placing tin foil, cardboard, and wet sheets over their windows.
Research indicates that houses with design flaws act as "heat storage traps". Coupled with the high cost of cooling equipment such as air conditioners, people are left helpless in the face of extreme heat.
In the survey data, 51% of tenants believe they have no basic means to prevent their houses from overheating, while the proportion of homeowners is 40%. The survey also found that 90,000 households with central heating systems cannot turn off their heating systems even in summer.
Claire Moriarty, CEO of the UK Citizen Advice and Consultation Service, said: "For too many people, summer heat waves mean not enjoying the sun, but being trapped in stuffy homes where it's impossible to control the indoor temperature. What we are facing now is a year-round crisis: poorly designed housing that turns into massive heat sinks in summer, and freezing cold places in winter."
The government can leverage the "Warm Housing Plan" to seize key opportunities and address this issue. By investing in funds, we can improve home insulation, ventilation, upgrade centralized heating pipe networks. This will allow for residential warmth in winter, greater safety and coolness in summer. Moretti said.
"We are modifying relevant regulations. Citizens have a historical record of being able to apply for subsidies for installing air-source heat pumps, and this equipment can both provide heating and cooling for houses." A government spokesperson stated. "We have taken measures to strengthen the protection of tenants who experience house overheating issues. At the same time, we are ensuring that new residences are designed with maximum sunlight protection, minimizing unnecessary solar heat gain."
