Homes heated at least 4C warmer than in 1970, study finds

Britons keep their homes at least 4C warmer than in the 1970s, as people no longer accept “the need to wear thick clothes at home in winter”, a government-commissioned study has found.

Despite the typical household seeing their bills rise by £200 in real terms, many of us are choosing to heat our homes at 17.7C in winter, compared with 13.7C in 1970.

The report said people in 1970 had “very different expectations of thermal comfort”.

“Most families in 1970 lived in homes that would be cold by modern standards in winter – as cool as 12C on average.

"There may have been ice on the insides of the windows, and nearly everyone accepted the need to wear thick clothes at home in winter,” it said.

Despite the increased temperatures, the average household now uses 18 per cent less energy, “largely due to the dramatic improvements in the efficiency of space and water heating”.

In 1970, “most of the energy was lost up chimneys”, it said.

“Even though average internal temperatures have risen by 4C or more, much better insulation and more efficient heating systems have provided more comfort at the same time as cutting energy use per home."

The declining household consumption trend also reflected people living in smaller households. The average energy use per person actually increased by just over one per cent, with the proliferation of electrical appliances such as TVs and computers fuelling the growth.

A typical household has seen their bills rise in real terms from £1,050 in 1970 to £1,250 in 2012, as electricity prices have risen by almost a third.

There was significant fluctuation over this period, however, with electricity prices rising in the 1970s and 80s, falling until 2003 and rising again steeply since then.

The figures show a typical home with central heating in 1970 was kept at 13.7C, rising to 17.7C by 2011.

But in 1970 far fewer homes had central heating, and those without were heated on average to just 11.2C.

The average internal temperature of all homes rose from 12C in 1970 to 17.6C in 2011.

Average centrally-heated homes in the early years of the 20th century were actually even warmer reaching as high as 18.8C in 2005.

However, they have remained below 18C since 2007 as the financial crisis and energy bill rises hit, and the UK experienced colder winters. In 2011, a warmer winter saw the first year-on-year rise since the financial crisis.

• Put your energy question to the experts. Email moneyexpert@telegraph.co.uk