Dear John

About 10 million UK households are living in heat-leaking homes. That’s a third of households who are at risk of ill health from cold living conditions.

This finding from new research we commissioned with the Institute of Health Equity underlines the urgent need for warm homes for all. And a roll-out of home insulation, starting with people who need it most.

Recently, both the Conservatives and Labour reneged on their commitments to green our homes and make them warm, affordable to run and safe.

But MPs still have a duty to serve their constituents. That’s why we’re calling on individual MPs to pledge that no one in their area is left in the cold.

Please take 2 minutes to ask your MP to take our pledge for warm homes for all today.

"That there are millions, in a rich country like ours, living in cold homes is a national disgrace." Professor Sir Michael Marmot, report co-author.

Our research with the institute reveals that if you live in a cold home your risk of developing a new mental health condition is doubled. And, alarmingly, cold homes are putting 1 in 4 children at risk of multiple mental health symptoms.

Cold homes are also increasing the risk of heart attacks, respiratory conditions like asthma, and even impacting children’s brain and lung development.

But with properly insulated homes the NHS and economy could save tens of billions of pounds every year.

Even though the UK has some of the oldest and least energy-efficient housing in Europe, we know mass home insulation is possible.

An annual investment of £6 billion over ten years could fund an insulation scheme that would keep us warm and well, as well as helping to make sure the UK’s climate targets are met.

So, will you write to your local MP to get them to take the pledge for warm homes now?

If your MP replies, we’d love to hear what they say. Just forward their responses to this email address, so we can see the level of support for our demands.

And if your MP decides not to add their name to the pledge, please ask them why and what they’ll do instead to ensure no one has to live in a cold home. Do let us know what they say.

This is going to be a massive election year. We’ve got an opportunity to influence our leaders, and aspiring leaders, to make the right choices for people and planet.

Insulating our homes and fuelling them with renewable energy is a no brainer. These solutions are already available. They’d create green jobs, reduce our need for fossil fuels and make our homes greener and cheaper to run.

But even more urgently, these solutions will help the 10 million households at risk right now. Households who shouldn't endure years of soaring energy costs and cold homes that are making them ill.

Thanks for reading and for all your support.

Warm wishes,

Sana

Campaigner, Friends of the Earth

PS. Our new research, led by the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, can be found on our website. Read experiences from a palliative care patient and disabled rights activist, and a children’s lung consultant. You can download the full report too.