Why are cold homes bad for health?

Cold homes are not good for your health. Problems and diseases linked to the cold range from blood pressure increases and common colds, to heart attacks and pneumonia.

Besides poor health, cold-related illness causes absence from work, social isolation, and sleep deprivation. It may lead to mental or stress related illness, with negative knock on effects for family and friends.

People with existing health conditions are especially vulnerable, particularly physical conditions like asthma, circulatory problems, diabetes, arthritis, and mental health issues.

Respiratory conditions, like asthma, can be exacerbated by the cold, even more so if there are damp and mould issues in living spaces. This is often the case in under-heated, poorly ventilated homes.

People with certain disabilities, children and older people also fall into higher risk categories.

What temperature should I set my heating?

It’s important to keep your home warm. The rooms you spend most of your time in should be between 18 and 21°C to keep you warm and avoid damp building up in your home.

If you’re worried about how much this will cost, have a look at our staying warm at home cheaply information.

Below 13°	If your home is this cold, it may increase your blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease.
14-15°	If your home is this cold, you may be diminishing your resistance to respiratory diseases.
18°	This is the recommended night time bedroom temperature.
19-21°	This is the recommended daytime temperature range for occupied rooms.
24-27º	This is too warm and can put babies and young children at risk.

Condensation, damp and mould

Damp causes homes to feel colder, and it’s bad for your health. Colder homes often have more problems with damp and mould. Damp can also cause deterioration of the building, making it harder and more expensive to repair. We’ve got lots of information about preventing damp and mould here and top tips for keeping your home warm cheaply and preventing damp and mould as best you can, here.

Grants and funding to help with cold homes

If you receive any type of benefit or are on a low income, you may be entitled to some support.

Improving your home’s insulation or heating system can make a big difference to how warm your home feels and it’s the best thing you can do to keep your heating bills down in the long term. Find out more in our grants and funding information page.