Cost-of-living crisis is fuelling rise in dangerous gas appliances, says study
More households are delaying their annual gas service because of the cost, say seven in ten gas engineers. Project SHOUT, a national campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of CO poisoning, says 38% of gas engineers said they regularly encounter boilers, fires and cookers that need significant repair work or replacement, which the homeowner simply can’t afford.
Its survey of 300 gas engineers in September 2024 found that they have seen a significant rise in dangerous appliances since the cost-of-living crisis began, with nearly half (45%) saying they had seen an increase since a previous survey in 2021.
Recent energy hikes combined with months of inflation have hit struggling households hard, with the loss of the winter fuel allowance set to put budgets under more pressure, says Project SHOUT. But poorly maintained and faulty gas appliances can emit deadly carbon monoxide, putting homes in danger, especially as we approach winter, with the elderly and the very young particularly vulnerable.
