Campaign for warm park homes

Thousands of older people living in park homes in Wales are putting their health at risk as they struggle to keep warm over the winter due to the high cost of heating this particular form of accommodation.

Around 7,000 people aged 65 plus are estimated to live in this type of prefabricated bungalow in Wales, which appeals to many older people as an attractive and seemingly more affordable option than a traditional home. 

Graeme Francis, Head of Policy at Age Cymru says:

"Park homes can be idyllic in the summer but many older residents have told us that they have found to their horror that they are very poorly insulated and therefore prohibitively expensive to keep warm when it gets cold.  Greater action from the UK Government could greatly benefit those people who have so far been unable to improve their homes."

Brian Gresty, 73 and his wife Jean, 72, from Wrexham, live in a park home which is poorly insulated and very cold in winter.

 "Winters here are very cold and damp and Jean really needs to keep warm or her arthritis becomes very painful. She'd like the heating to be on higher, but the fuel bills can be quite difficult to manage over winter and we have to be frugal" says Brian.

"The house loses heat very quickly once the heating is turned off. When I saw somewhere on the internet that you could apply for funding for insulation from the UK Government, I rang up. But as soon as the company heard that I lived in a park home they said they couldn't install it in a caravan!"

Please sign our petition and support our call for the UK Government to roll out an energy efficiency scheme specifically tailored to park homes residents, which would enable them to reduce their heating costs and keep warm and well in winter.