More households plan to put heating on all day on Christmas than at New Year

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Families across the UK are planning to treat themselves this Christmas, with new research revealing that nearly four in 10 households are set to switch the heating on all day on December 25, despite the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The study by Nationwide Building Society suggests that twice as many households (38%) will have their heating on all of Christmas day compared to 18 per cent on Christmas Eve, 20 per cent on Boxing Day, and only 15 per cent on New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

On average, households are currently putting their heating on for just five and a half hours per day, with fewer than three per cent putting it on for the full 24 hours.

The research was commissioned as part of Nationwide’s ongoing efforts to understand the impact of the cost of living crisis, as it continues to offer a dedicated helpline (0800 030 40 66) for its members.Rising costs have forced many households to rethink how to heat and light their homes in order to save money, although the recent cold snap is likely to be the first real test of how many will cope with higher energy bills.According to the poll, households expect to pay an average of £212.40 more on their energy bills when comparing this December to the same month last year.Despite many households taking a decision to go ‘all out’ with heating their homes December 25, the survey highlights that many are concerned about energy costs and will do what they can to best manage the situation.Six in 10 households currently have their heating on for less than four hours a day, despite sub-zero temperatures, while nearly four in 10 (39%) said they need to reduce their other outgoings to cover their energy bills this winter.Over one in 10 (12%) said they will have to increase