Four Welsh councils rank amongst worst for energy efficient households

Four Welsh local authorities are ranked amongst the ten council areas in England and Wales with the least energy-efficient households.

Powys had the lowest Energy Efficiency Score in the study at just 0.11 out of 10, and was in the bottom 10 for every factor, with residents spending the second-most to heat their homes and the fifth-highest amount on hot water.

Gwynedd recorded the third-lowest Energy Efficiency Score at just 0.18, with Ceredigion in fifth place with a 0.43 rating and Anglesey 8th with 0.69.

Official government data

The ranking for the Household Energy Efficiency Index were calculated by energy experts at Utility Bidder from an analysis of official government data.

The study ranks local authorities on average energy consumption, CO2 emissions, heating costs, and hot water costs before awarding each local authority and region an ‘Energy Efficiency Score’ out of 10.

Knowsley has the highest Energy Efficiency Score of any local authority in England and Wales at 9.69 out of 10.

London was the region with the highest Energy Efficiency Score, scoring 9.33 out of 10 and had the highest score for almost every factor in the research.

Oil

The cost of using oil central heating has seen a big jump over the last two years.

According to Welsh Government figures, around 10% of households in Wales use oil central heating, totalling close to 130,000 properties, and the majority of those are in rural areas where the housing stock tends to be older and less well insulated and heating costs tend to be a third more expensive as a consequence.

The most recent Welsh Housing Conditions Survey, which covered 2017-18, calculated that overall, 28% of rural dwellings In Wales used oil for heating.

James Longley, Managing Director at Utility Bidder, said: “We aren’t surprised that London local authorities dominate the resultant rankings for energy efficiency, with Hackney ranking as one of seven London boroughs to make the top 10.

“Nevertheless, Knowsley has the highest Energy Efficiency Score of any local authority in England and Wales, registering well for all factors, with low energy usage, low CO2 emissions, more affordable utility bills and a high proportion of households receiving positive EPC ratings in 2023.

“As we’ve seen in our study, home energy efficiency can vary considerably depending on where you are in the country, which can mean higher bills and colder homes.

“With this in mind, it might be wise to consider steps you can take to ensure your home is as energy-efficient as possible; these include installing double or triple glazing, updating your boiler, switching to a heat pump, using LED bulbs, and draught-proofing your home.”