A statistical research article published by Energy Intelligence Team, Energy Group, Department for the Economy.

Source: Continuous Household Survey
Contact: Nial McGoran
Email:

Published: 6th March 2025


This report presents the results of the household heating and insulation questions from the 2023/24 Continuous Household Survey (CHS) with comparison to 2015/16 data, where applicable. Data were also collected in 2016/17, 2021/22 and 2022/23. This release is accompanied by a set of tables that include data from all years in the series.

The CHS is a Northern Ireland-wide household survey administered by the Central Survey Unit (CSU) of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). It is based on a systematic random sample of addresses selected from the NISRA Address Register. The survey has been running since 1983 and is designed to provide a regular source of information on a wide range of social and economic issues relevant to Northern Ireland.

The CHS 2015/16 and 2016/17 household heating results were previously reported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). These can be found on the DAERA website.

All tables associated with this release can be downloaded from the Department for the Economy (DfE) website.


DOWNLOAD TABLES


1. Key Points


  • In 2023/24, oil central heating was reported by the majority (65%) of respondents as the primary method of household heating, while nearly a third (32%) reported using gas as the primary method of heating their home.

  • Almost four-fifths (78%) of households with more than one heating method reported using an open/closed fire or stove as their secondary method. The equivalent figure in 2015/16 was 75%.

  • Of those households which are burning solid fuels in an open or closed fire as the secondary method of home heating, nearly half (48%) reported burning wood logs (seasoned and unseasoned), a quarter (25%) smokeless coal and just under a quarter (24%) ordinary household coal as the main fuel.

  • In 2023/24, almost nine in ten (89%) respondents reported that all the windows of their home were double-glazed, just over four-fifths (81%) had loft insulation and just over two-thirds (67%) had wall insulation.


2. Primary Heating Method


  • Oil central heating was reported by nearly two-thirds (65%) of households as the primary method of heating in Northern Ireland in 2023/24. This is statistically significantly lower than the equivalent figure (70%) in 2015/16, the first year heat questions were asked.

  • Gas central heating was reported by nearly a third (32%) of respondents as the primary heating method in 2023/24, which was statistically significantly higher than the 2015/16 figure (24%).


Figure 1: Nearly two-thirds (65%) of homes used oil central heating as the primary method of household heating in 2023/24.

Proportion of respondents by primary household heating method, 2015/16 and 2023/24

Notes: 1. Electric Heating includes Electric Storage Heaters (e.g. Economy 7), Electric Fire and Dimplex Radiators.
2. Primary heating method respondent options included Other and None. The counts for these options are less than one percent and have been excluded from the chart. Therefore, totals may not add to 100%.
3. The 2015/16 response options for primary heating method included Range and Gas Fire. The counts for these have been included in the figure for Open/Closed Fire or Stove. These options were not available in other years.


  • Oil central heating was the predominant primary household heating method in Northern Ireland for detached (81%) and semi-detached (61%) homes in 2023/24. Flats and maisonettes mainly used gas central heating (77%).

  • Gas central heating was the predominant primary household heating method for Housing Executive and Association rental properties (58%), while private rental properties mostly used oil central heating (66%) in 2023/24.


Figure 2: The majority (81%) of detached households used oil, while for flats or maisonettes the majority (77%) used gas central heating as their primary method of heating in 2023/24.

Proportion of respondents by primary heating method and type of accommodation, 2023/24

Notes: 1. The counts for Electric Heating, Open/Closed Fire or Stove, Other and None, when disaggregated by accommodation type, were relatively small and have been excluded from this chart. Therefore, totals may not add to 100%. The proportions for all categories of primary heating method by household accommodation in 2023/24 are provided in Table 2.
2. The figures presented in this chart are estimates. The true values lie within the limits of the confidence intervals or error bars.


  • Just over half (52%) of households in Northern Ireland used a timer or programmer as a method of controlling their primary source of heat in 2023/24, whilst almost a third (32%) used a manual on/off switch.

  • Just over three quarters (77%) of respondents stated that their radiators had thermostatic radiator valves.


Figure 3: The majority (52%) of respondents reported using a timer or programmer to control their primary heating method in 2023/24.

Proportion of respondents by primary household heating control method, 2023/24

Note: 1. Data for heating control methods are only available for 2023/24.


3. Secondary Heating Method


  • In 2023/24, 43% of households reported having more than one method of heating. The equivalent figure in 2015/16 was 46%.

  • Of those households with more than one method of heating, nearly four-fifths (78%) used an open or closed fire/stove as their secondary heating source. A similar figure (75%) was reported in 2015/16.

  • The use of electric heating as a secondary method of home heating has declined from 19% in 2015/16 to 16% in 2023/24. This difference is statistically significant.

  • In 2023/24, a small proportion of respondents (3%) cited ‘Other’ methods of secondary household heating which included: Liquid Petroleum Gas, Biomass, Air Source Heat Pump, Ground Source Heat Pump, and Solar Power.


Figure 4: The majority (78%) of respondents with a secondary method of household heating used an open/closed fire or stove in 2023/24.

Proportion of respondents by secondary household heating method, 2015/16 and 2023/24


Notes: 1. The counts for the category None were either zero or <1% and have been excluded from this chart. Therefore, totals may not add to 100%.
2. Electric Heating includes Electric Storage Heaters (e.g. Economy 7), Electric Fire and Dimplex Radiators.
3. The 2015/16 response options for primary heating method included Range and Gas Fire. The counts for these have been included in the figure for Open/Closed Fire or Stove. These options were not available in other years.
4. The figures presented in this chart are estimates. The true values lie within the limits of the confidence intervals or error bars.


  • Wood has replaced ordinary household coal as the most common fuel burned as a secondary heating method over the period 2015/16 to 2023/24.

  • The use of smokeless coal has increased (12% to 25%) over the period 2015/16 to 2023/24, while the use of ordinary household coal has declined (60% to 24%). These changes are statistically significant.


Figure 5: In 2023/24, wood was the most common (48%) solid fuel burned as a secondary method of heating in Open/Closed Fires or Stoves. In 2015/16, ordinary household coal was the most common (60%) solid fuel burned as a secondary heat source.

Proportion of respondents by solid fuel burned as secondary method of household heating, 2015/16 and 2023/24

Notes: 1. Peat figures include counts for Sod Peat or Turf and Peat Briquettes.
2. Wood (logs) includes fully seasoned/dry and unseasoned/wet.


4. Oil Purchasing Behaviours


  • When ordering heating oil, just under half (49%) reported that they don’t shop around for the best price. The majority (67%) cited that the primary reason for not shopping around was that they liked to use their local supplier.

  • Nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents reported that there isn’t much difference in price between oil companies as the primary reason for not shopping around.

  • Of those people that owned their own homes, less than half (46%) shopped around for oil, whilst 60% of those with a mortgage or loan and 52% of those renting shopped around when ordering home heating oil.


Figure 6: The reliability of their local supplier is the main reason (67%) given by those ordering oil for not shopping around.

Proportion of respondents by primary reason for not shopping around when ordering home heating oil, 2023/24


5. Household Insulation


  • In 2023/24, almost nine in ten (89%) respondents reported that all the windows of their home were double-glazed and just over four-fifths (81%) had loft insulation, while two-thirds (67%) had wall insulation.

Infographic showing a house with loft insulation eight one percent, all windows double-glazed eighty nine percent and wall insulation sixty seven percent.


6. Data Tables


The 2023/24 tabulated data for the charts presented in this report are provided below. A set of tables accompany this release containing further 2023/24 data and, where available, comparable data from other years. The tables are available on the DfE website.


Table 1: Proportion of respondents by primary household heating method, 2015/16 and 2023/24
Primary heating method 2015/16 2023/24
Oil Central Heating 70% 65%
Gas Central Heating (mains gas only) 24% 32%
Open/Closed Fire or Stove (with or without back boiler) 4% 2%
Electric Heating (all types) 2% 1%
Other <1% <1%
None 0% <1%


Table 2: Proportion of respondents by primary heating method and type of accommodation, 2023/24
Primary heating method Detached Semi-detached Terraced Flat
Oil Central Heating 81% 61% 51% 12%
Gas Central Heating (mains gas only) 16% 36% 47% 77%
Open/Closed Fire or Stove (with or without back boiler) 2% 2% 1% 0%
Electric Heating (all types) <1% 0% 1% 10%
Other 1% <1% 0% 1%
None <1% 0% 0% 0%

Note: 1. Flat refers to ‘Flat or Maisonette’.


Table 3: Proportion of respondents by primary household heating control method, 2023/24
Heating control method Proportion of respondents (%)
Timer/Programmer 52%
Manual On/Off Switch 32%
Room Thermostats 6%
Boiler Thermostat 5%
Smart Heating Controls 4%
Other 1%
None 0%


Table 4: Proportion of respondents by secondary household heating method, 2015/16 and 2023/24
Secondary heating method 2015/16 2023/24
Open/Closed Fire or Stove (with or without back boiler) 75% 78%
Electric Heating (all types) 19% 16%
Other <1% 3%
Oil Central Heating 4% 2%
Gas Central Heating (mains gas only) 1% 1%
None 1% 0%


Table 5: Proportion of respondents by solid fuel burned as secondary method of household heating, 2015/16 and 2023/24
Solid fuel 2015/16 2023/24
Wood (logs) 24% 48%
Smokeless Coal 12% 25%
Ordinary Household Coal 60% 24%
Peat (sod, peat, briquettes or turf) 4% 3%
Other Wood Products 1% <1%
Other <1% <1%


Table 6: Proportion of respondents by primary reason for not shopping around when ordering home heating oil, 2023/24
Primary reason Proportion of respondents (%)
I like to use my local supplier as they are reliable 67%
There isn’t much difference in prices between companies 23%
Other 5%
I can’t be bothered / too much hassle 3%
I don’t have time 1%
It’s too complicated and I am unsure how to do this 1%


Table 7: Proportion of respondents by household insulation method, 2023/24
Insulation type Proportion of respondents (%)
All Windows Double-Glazed 89%
Loft Insulation 81%
Wall Insulation (cavity or solid) 67%
Some Windows Double-Glazed 9%
Other 1%
None 1%


7. Background Notes


Continuous Household Survey

The CHS is an annual survey of households designed to provide a regular source of information on a wide range of issues relevant to Northern Ireland. The CHS collects data on a variety of topics, such as internet access, the environment, tourism, health, sport and education. The survey also collects information on household accommodation and tenure as well as data from household individuals.

The survey design and data collection are conducted by the Central Survey Unit within NISRA. The sample consists of approximately 4,500 households selected using a systematic random sampling method from the NISRA Address Register (NAR). The NAR is developed within NISRA and is primarily based on the Land and Property Services (LPS) Pointer database. Data are collected by personal interview at a household level and an individual level. Interviews are conducted throughout the 12-month period April to March to reduce seasonal bias.

The CHS contained household heating questions in 2015/16 and 2016/17, while household heating and insulation questions were included in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 surveys. In 2023/24, 4,113 households took part in the survey and the overall response rate was 50%. The response rate for the 2015/16 CHS was 64%.

DAERA published detailed reports on the 2015/16 and 2016/17 household heating data. These reports can be found on the DAERA website. The CHS 2023/24 heat and insulation questions can be found on the DfE website.


Data Accuracy

The results presented in this report are taken from a survey of households and are estimates. The results are subject to a margin of error which can affect how changes should be interpreted.

Surveys produce estimates of a ‘true’ value because of sampling and non-sampling error. Users should be aware of this when interpreting the data. If the survey observations are collected from a random sample (like the CHS sample design), statistical theory allows us to estimate the likely size of the sampling error for any percentage estimate in a survey. This error can then be used to calculate a range of values in which we are 95% confident the true value lies. This is called the 95% confidence interval. For example, if 60% of 1,000 respondents indicate they take regular walks, statistical theory allows us to say that the true value lies within 57% and 63%. This can be written as 60% ± 3%. A confidence interval can be represented on a chart as a bar or whiskers extending above and below the value of the estimate. It is important for users to note that as the number of respondents to a question decreases the uncertainty around a measure increases, that is, the interval in which the true value lies widens.

Non-sampling errors are systematic inaccuracies in the sample when compared to the full population, for example, certain groups of people may be less likely to respond. Non-sampling errors are minimised by robust sampling methods, effective questionnaire design and active fieldwork management.


Significant Difference

We can use statistical theory to decide whether a difference between two survey-based estimates reflects a true change rather than being attributable to random variation in the sample selection. A 5% standard is used in this report to test significance. The observed change or difference is statistically significant at the 5% level if there is less than 1 in 20 chance of the observed change being calculated by chance if there is no actual underlying change. Statistically significant difference can be assumed if confidence intervals do not overlap. However, if intervals do overlap a statistical test is required to determine statistical significance in difference.


Users

The longitudinal data collected on household heating and insulation in the CHS enables analysis of trends in heating systems, solid fuel usage and household insulation. These data are used within government to assess the impact of policy and identify long-term patterns in household behaviour.


Useful Links

Continuous Household Survey 2023/24: Heat and Insulation Questions.

Heating Statistics from the Continuous Household Survey,2015/16 and 2016/17, DAERA.

Background Information: Continuous Household Survey, NISRA.

Technical Information: Continuous Household Survey, NISRA.