A new consumer change campaign is calling on 13 million UK households not to heat their homes any higher than 21 degrees and consider other ways to get cozy this winter.

The Wear Warm campaign launched on November 8 after research by Utilita Energy - the only energy company created to help households use less energy - revealed that almost half of the nation’s homes are heated to 24 degrees centigrade for half the year - the same temperature as Barbados.

48% of the UK’s homes are heated to 3 degrees higher than the recommended healthy heat (18-21 degrees) releasing an additional 13 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.

A third of households who use an additional heat source say they don’t know if it is cheaper. Another third say they know its more expensive than central heating but use it regardless (33%).

The average annual saving for homes reducing their thermostat by three degrees is £174. That’s a £2.32 billion annual saving for those who are currently overheating.

To promote the importance of getting cosy over getting costly this winter, the ‘Wear Warm’ campaign will be featured nationwide at 657 charity shops. Anyone keen to cut their heating bills can get hold of some gorgeous preloved winter garments - and keep them out of landfill.

The pro-planet ‘double-whammy’ campaign was officially launched by two of the nation’s sustainable heroes - former England goalkeeper and environmentalist David James MBE and British fashion designer Wayne Hemmingway MBE.

Bill Bullen, Founder, and CEO of Utilita Energy says “Energy bosses and MPs have previously been berated for daring to suggest that consumers put a jumper on to stay warm, and on the subject of fuel poverty - it’s not the right message. But there’s no excuse for today’s Government to avoid a simple ‘don’t go above 21 degrees message’, as we have.

“We’re confident that our simple and effective message will have a positive impact on the pockets of bill payers this winter and will help out Mother Earth - let’s make the year 2021 the last year that we heated our homes to higher than 21 degrees.”