Government officials considering whether to launch a public campaign to reduce energy use this winter may want to take their eyes off last week’s heat wave council response. As temperatures have risen, the government and health agencies have advised Britons on how to stay safe in the heat. The response from Twitter users? A wave of terse comments. “The nanny state has had the word,” read one. “Most normal adults already know that,” growled another.
As the country struggles with extreme heat, the debate in Westminster is about how to keep people warm this winter. At the heart of the discussion are the twin problems of rising energy bills, which could reach £3,000 by October, and the prospect of supply shortages caused by the invasion of Ukraine. Industry watchers have called for government intervention, including more financial support following Rishi Sunak’s £15bn package unveiled in May and official consumer advice this winter.
However, the government seems far from certain that the latter will happen. Asked about potential messages to consumers this winter, a senior official at an energy industry conference told executives this month that the issue was being discussed in Westminster. But she argues that “people are tired of being told what to do. With Partygate, it was clear that we were saying one thing and doing another, and that feeling is still there.”
On Thursday, National Grid is expected to release its initial outlook, which will detail its expectations for energy supply and demand this winter.
The reality of Europe’s winter energy outlook is in the hands of Vladimir Putin, who may decide to strangle economies by cutting off gas supplies. Although Britain is not dependent on Russian gas, any shutdown could push energy prices even higher or divert supplies planned for Britain elsewhere. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng sought to boost coal and gas supplies for the winter, while Shell boss Ben van Beurden warned gas restrictions could be ahead.
The government may decide to launch its own behavior analysis team – known as a ‘nudge unit’. Established by David Cameron’s government, the unit seeks to apply behavioral science to public policy. The government sold a third of it for £15.4m last year to Nesta, the UK innovation foundation.
Speed limits may be imposed on autobahns in Germany. Photo: Michael Probst/AP
In Germany, the authorities are already mobilizing. Motorists are being warned that speed limits may be in place on the Autobahn to reduce fuel and hot water consumption.
Influencing public behavior on energy consumption is a delicate task. Supplier websites are full of practical energy-saving tips, including reducing room heating to a constant 21C, filling the dishwasher and washing machine and running them at night to use cheaper energy; turning off appliances you are not using and draining the radiators. However, these efforts can backfire. Last year, a series of ill-judged advice backfired on provider Ovo. He was forced to apologize after advising customers to cuddle pets, eat porridge and do star jumps to keep warm.
Providers were also urged not to use strong-arm tactics to push consumers who can’t afford direct debits onto pre-paid meters, which are more expensive. The British Gas Energy Trust, which is funded by Centrica and offers fuel debt advice, ran a campaign called Stop the Silence to raise awareness of the help available with rapper Professor Green earlier this year.
Angela Terry, an environmental scientist and founder of the climate change action group One Home, argues that any widespread campaign should focus on insulation. She says: “Old and vulnerable people will be freezing in their homes because they cannot afford heating. They should be literally insulated from these unusual price increases.
“Telling people to fill their kettle correctly might save them £20, but proper insulation will save thousands within months. Urging the public to love their dovecote to save money and get rid of Putin’s gas would be a great campaign. The UK has the worst insulated housing stock in Europe and only 58% of UK homes meet insulation standards since the 1970s.
Advice to keep warm by eating porridge has backfired on energy firm Ovo. Photo: Islandstock/Alamy
The International Energy Agency urged consumers to lower their thermostats by 1C to reduce the need for Russian gas.
Stu Horne, head of policy at the Energy Saving Trust, says advice should be impartial and personalised. “There is a lot of interest in how to retrofit your home to make it more efficient, and a lot of government support – but people don’t know where to start. To drive behavior change, help needs to be personalized,” he says.
Horne cited schemes in Bristol and Scotland offering free advice on how to make homes more efficient. The Water Heater Upgrade Scheme offers consumers £5,000 to install air source heat pumps, while the Home Upgrade Grant aims to help low-income households improve their home’s energy efficiency.
Government service Simple Energy Advice offers free help with home energy efficiency and low carbon heating.
Sarah Bauman is the managing director of advertising agency VaynerMedia and has worked on numerous public information campaigns throughout her career, including Think! a road safety campaign and a literacy and numeracy campaign for adults under the heading ‘Our Future. It’s in our hands.”
She says that “carrot and stick” approaches are important for such campaigns. “There always has to be a deterrent or an enabler underneath the marketing. When it comes to energy – do you consider the cost of living, potential gas shortages – which could scare people – or the climate crisis? All three can be equally motivating,” she says.
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The reward for an agency entering into such a contract can be lucrative. The government has previously handed out similar documents to established agencies such as Freuds, the agency behind Live Aid and Comic Relief, and M&C Saatchi, which was the subject of a bidding war this year. London agency MullenLowe was among the winners of the Covid information campaign, including work on the NHS vaccination programme.
Baumann says: “It has to be more subtle than general Covid campaigns. People’s situations are so different. If you have a Tory leader living in a comfort level preaching austerity and delivering the message of rationing, you need to think very carefully about what you are communicating.
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “The UK has no problems with gas or electricity supplies and the government is fully prepared for any scenario, even those that are extreme and highly unlikely to happen.”
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