More than two million households are planning to avoid switching on their central heating this winter as the cost of energy remains stubbornly high, a new survey suggests.

Almost one in 10 people who live alone are preparing to go without heating to save money, while one in 20 households with younger children say they will not be turning their heating on.

The survey of 2,000 people for comparison site Uswitch found 10% of those questioned would not be turning their heating on this year – equalling 2.07 million households if applied to the whole country.

Almost half of those not turning their heating on say they will instead try to keep warm by wearing more clothes and using hot water bottles and heated blankets.

A fifth (21%) are using alternatives to central heating including portable heaters, log burners and open fires.

With that in mind, we’ve calculated the cost of using electric heaters and heated blankets compared to the cost of heating your home using central heating.

Read more: What to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills

Central heating cost

NimbleFins has previously researched the cost of central heating for different sized houses, and has updated the figures for February 2026 using the Energy Price Cap for January - March 2026.

Although central heating costs vary depending on inconsistent factors such as and floor dimensions, insulation quality, temperature difference and heating efficiency, we’ve calculated rough estimates of between £1.18 a day for a well-insulated one-bedroom flat, to £15 for a poorly-insulated four bedroom detached home.

That calculation is when it is 5C outside, and costs rise considerably when it is colder and homes are poorly insulated – with prices more than doubling for any home with little insulation.

So that is a starting point for our comparison. Now let’s look at the cost to run alternative heaters.

Electric heater vs central heating cost

The cost to run an electric heater depends on its size and wattage. It also only heats up one room, so you may want to bear this in mind when comparing the cost of central heating.

A standard plug-in electric heater ranges from about 1000 to 2500 watt, so for a ballpark figure, we’ll look at 2000 watts.

Using the cost of electricity, we estimate it would cost 55p an hour or £6.65 for 12 hours to use a 2000 watt electric heater.

When it’s around 5°C outside, it costs about 5p an hour to heat a well-insulated one-bedroom flat using central heating, or 11p an hour if the flat is poorly insulated. That makes central heating significantly cheaper than running an electric heater, which costs around 55p an hour for a standard 2,000-watt model.

However, electric heaters can offer better value in larger homes or poorly insulated properties, especially if you’re only heating one or two rooms instead of the whole house. For example, heating a well-insulated four-bed detached home with central heating costs around 23p an hour at 5°C, but that rises to 63p an hour for a poorly insulated house – more than the cost of a single 2kW electric heater.

As the temperature drops, costs climb further. When it’s 0°C outside, central heating can reach around 84p an hour for a poorly insulated four-bed home, 52p an hour for a three-bed terrace, and 30p an hour for a two-bed flat.

Smaller electric heaters are cheaper to run, but far less powerful. A 500-watt model costs roughly 14p an hour to use, or about £1.66 for 12 hours, but they’re typically compact plug-in units designed for topping up warmth in small spaces – not for heating cold rooms from scratch.

If you only need a gentle boost to your heating for a few hours a day, a small 500W heater can be a cost-effective way to warm up draughty spots without switching on the full central heating system.

Read more: Is it cheaper to dry clothes with a heated airer or a tumble dryer?

Now let’s look at alternative heating solutions.

Heated blanket vs central heating cost

Heated blankets are a quick and cheap way to stay warm when the cold bites.

Although they don’t heat the room, they keep you toasty and can help when you’re feeling the chill but not enough to switch the heating on for the whole house.

At just 100 watts, they cost just 2.8p an hour to run, or 33p for 12 hours.

This compares to £6.32 for 12 hours of a standard 2000 watt electric heater.

Or, if you’re wondering whether to turn on the central heating, you could be spending 24p an hour on a well-insulated 3-bed house or 52p an hour if your 3-bed terrace is poorly insulated.

Read more: How Much Electricity Does My Appliance Use? From Fans to Slow Cookers

The energy price cap has risen slightly to £1,758 from January 1 to March 31, meaning the average gas and electricity bill will increase £3 a year.

The price cap remained relatively consistent between January 2019 and October 2021 at about £1,100, but has been stubbornly high for the last four years.

USwitch's survey found 77% are worried about being cold this winter due to high energy prices, and 16% are "very worried".

Will Owen, energy spokesman at Uswitch, said: “If you’re worried about paying your energy bill this winter, please don’t suffer alone. Reach out to your energy supplier, who may be able to offer advice and support.

“Turning off your heating shouldn’t have to be the answer, so see if you can keep your home warmer by cutting down draughts, opting for thicker curtains and adding insulation if possible. Electric blankets are a good way to keep warm, and cost a lot less to run than electric heaters.

“You should also make sure you’re not paying more for your energy than you should by seeing what fixed deals are available.”

Read more:

• Is it cheaper to boil water for tea with a gas hob or an electric kettle?

• How to pay energy bills quarterly based on ACTUAL usage

• Is it cheaper to dry clothes with a heated airer or a tumble dryer?

• Can a smart meter really save me money?

• Average Cost of Electricity per kWh in the UK