77% of homes in North West need energy efficiency improvements

ALMOST 8 in 10 people in the North West region say their homes are in need of energy efficiency improvements as fuel bills are set to rocket this winter, according to a new poll of households commissioned by the National Housing Federation.  However the poll also shows that whilst a majority of people say their home would benefit from measures such as draft proofing around windows and doors or better loft insulation, less than half plan to take the necessary action.

The figures will highlight concerns that many across the North West region will suffer unprecedented high fuel bills this winter, with the average household now spending around £1,300 on gas and electricity bills. The latest Government figures show that 415,000 households in the region are officially 'fuel poor', spending more than 10% of disposable income on gas and electricity bills.  Despite 41% of respondents agreeing they need a more energy efficient boiler, for example, only 10% of people said they would be installing one in the next year. Energy saving light bulbs fared better however, with around 1 in 4 looking to fit them to cut bills and help the environment.

The Federation's Sallie Bridgen said the poll revealed the Government still faced a major battle to win people in the region over to the idea of investing in energy efficiency. She called on ministers to slash the VAT charged on all energy efficient products to 5% to help boost sales.  Sallie Bridgen remarked to the media that:- "Energy inefficient homes are bad news for the environment and bad news for fuel bills. Over 400,000 households in the North West are already in fuel poverty and more and more people will be affected as fuel bills spiral upwards. It will be a a long, cold winter for many North West families. A few simple steps can make a huge difference and help keep the region safe and warm.  Ministers need to look at practical ways of encouraging people to invest in energy efficiency. Slashing the VAT charged on products like energy efficient boilers to 5% would help lower prices and boost sales."

PEOPLE LOOK CLOSE TO HOME FOR THE EVENT OF A LIFETIME

WHILE the majority of the country dreams of a lottery win as the event they'd most like to see happen in their lifetime, people in the North West hail the birth of child / grandchild (13%) as more significant than witnessing 1st alien contact (8%), according to a survey by Bausch & Lomb's Ocuvite, the vitamin and mineral supplement for good eye health

Looking Back:- The survey, which encouraged over 3,500 people to 'take a fresh look', also revealed the moment in history those in the North West would most like to have seen firsthand. 17% chose the building of the Pyramids, whilst 10% opted for the birth of Christ. The 1st moon landing (8.41%) narrowly beat the 'Big Bang' (7.96%) into 3rd place.

Stars in Their Eyes:- When offered the chance to see the world through someone else's eyes, 12% of those living in the NW opted for bearded billionaire Richard Branson whilst 9% preferred to see the world through the eyes of the Queen. Others on the list included Angelina Jolie (7%) and Microsoft mogul Bill Gates (6%).  In a snub to celebrity, the majority of people actually said they would prefer to stick to seeing things through their own eyes (30%).

The World's Wonders:- Finally, respondents were asked what place they would most like to see in their lifetime, which resulted in high visual destinations for those living in the NW with the Northern Lights (from Greenland (17%) and the Great Barrier Reef (11%) coming in 1st and 3rd place respectively. The Pyramids (13%), Earth (from space (10%) and Niagara Falls (8%) all fell within their top 5.

The survey was conducted on behalf of Bausch & Lomb's Ocuvite to mark National Eye Week, taking place between 24 and 30 November 2008. The week is organised to raise awareness of eye health issues in the UK, such as Age-related Macular Degeneration, which as the country's leading cause of blindness affects up to 5% of the UK's population.