Space heating appliances were the ignition source in 1,241 primary fires in England in 2025/26, including 747 accidental dwelling fires. Those primary fires caused 12 deaths and 227 non-fatal casualties. This page gathers the official UK heater fire statistics in one referenced place: the space-heating-appliance figures from MHCLG’s fire statistics data tables (table FIRE0602), the wider fire and rescue incident statistics for England, the electric-blanket category in the official tables, and historical heating-behaviour research from Electrical Safety First. The data period is stated next to every figure, so you can cite any number on this page with confidence.
Key facts and figures
- 1,241 primary fires in England were started by space heating appliances in 2025/26, compared with a revised 1,197 in 2024/25.
- 12 deaths and 227 non-fatal casualties were recorded in these fires in 2025/26.
- 9.7 deaths per 1,000 space-heating fires, compared with 1.7 for cooking-appliance fires in 2025/26. These are deaths-to-fire ratios, not individual probabilities.
- 44% fewer space-heating primary fires than in 2010/11: 1,241 compared with 2,204.
- 312 deaths in space-heating-appliance fires over the 16 financial years from 2010/11 to 2025/26.
- 46 primary fires with electric blankets as the ignition source in England in 2025/26; this is a broader category than accidental dwelling fires.
- 42% of respondents to an October 2022 UK survey were using or considering a single-room electric heater because of central-heating costs; this is historical survey evidence.
- 23,795 accidental dwelling fires from all ignition sources in England in 2025/26, of which 747 involved space-heating appliances.
Checked on 15 October 2026. The main England figures are from MHCLG’s August 2026 FIRE0602 tables for the year ending March 2026. Historical surveys and local safety statements are labelled separately.
How many fires do portable heaters cause in the UK each year?
1,241 primary fires in England were started by space heating appliances in 2025/26. The revised preceding-year count is 1,197, so the latest total rose by 3.7%. It remains about 44% below the 2,204 recorded in 2010/11.
The official space-heating category includes heaters/fires, other heating equipment and patio equipment. It is broader than portable electric heaters alone. Of the 1,241 primary fires, 747 were accidental dwelling fires, 390 were other-building fires and 104 were other primary fires.
The total averages about 3.4 primary fires a day in England. The accidental-dwelling subset averages about two a day; these different scopes should not be interchanged.
How many people die in heater fires in the UK?
12 people died and 227 non-fatal casualties were recorded in space-heating primary fires in England in 2025/26. The revised preceding-year figures are 17 deaths and 221 non-fatal casualties. Across the five years 2021/22 to 2025/26, the totals were 6,143 fires and 77 deaths.
Non-fatal casualties include precautionary checks and first aid, as well as hospital treatment. Across the 16 years from 2010/11 to 2025/26, the source table records 312 deaths in this ignition category. The wider picture is covered in our sister site’s guide to fire deaths in the UK.
Why are heater fires so much more dangerous than other fires?
In 2025/26, space-heating appliances accounted for 12 deaths from 1,241 primary fires: 9.7 deaths per 1,000 fires. Cooking appliances accounted for 20 deaths from 11,684 primary fires: 1.7 per 1,000. These are aggregate ratios, and a single fire can kill more than one person. They do not measure the chance that an individual heater or fire will kill someone.
London Fire Brigade highlights combustible materials placed close to heaters and the risk of people with mobility difficulties falling onto them. Its advice supports keeping heaters clear of bedding and clothing. The national ignition-source table does not quantify the contribution of overnight use, poverty or vulnerability to the annual figures.
Heater fire statistics at a glance
The table below summarises the key UK heater fire figures, with the data period and direction of travel for each measure.
| Measure | Figure | Period and trend |
|---|---|---|
| Space-heating-appliance primary fires (England) | 1,241 | 2025/26 — revised 1,197 in 2024/25; 2,204 in 2010/11 |
| Deaths in these fires (England) | 12 | 2025/26 — revised 17 in 2024/25 |
| Non-fatal casualties (England) | 227 | 2025/26 — includes first aid and precautionary checks |
| Deaths per 1,000 primary fires: heating / cooking | 9.7 / 1.7 | 2025/26 — aggregate ratios, not probabilities |
| Heater-fire deaths, 16-year total (England) | 312 | 2010/11 to 2025/26 |
| Heater primary fires / deaths, five-year total | 6,143 / 77 | 2021/22 to 2025/26 |
| Electric-blanket primary fires (England) | 46 | 2025/26 — 37 in 2024/25 |
| Accidental dwelling fires, all sources (England) | 23,795 | 2025/26 — 747 with space-heating ignition |
Are electric blanket fires increasing?
MHCLG table FIRE0602 records 46 electric-blanket primary fires in England in 2025/26, compared with 37 in 2024/25. The latest incidents involved one death and 14 non-fatal casualties. Electric blankets sit within “other electrical appliances”, so these figures are separate from the space-heating totals above.
An accidental-dwelling-only count would have a narrower scope and should not be compared directly with these primary-fire totals. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, inspect blankets for damage and stop using a blanket that shows scorching or deterioration; do not assume an old rounded estimate describes the current year.
Is the cost-of-living squeeze pushing up heater use?
Electrical Safety First commissioned Censuswide to survey 3,010 UK adults aged 16 and over on 17–19 October 2022. 42% were using or considering an electric heater for one room because of central-heating costs. The release’s 4.3 million estimate referred to the increase in people considering that option, not the total represented by 42%.
This is evidence about intentions during the 2022 energy-cost crisis. It does not measure heater use in 2026 or demonstrate that a change in use caused a particular number of fires. Current fire counts and historical survey responses should be kept separate.
What do fire brigades say about electric heaters?
London Fire Brigade’s heater guidance quotes more than 160 electric-heater fires a year and says heaters were involved in a third of fatal electrical fires. It does not state a reference year for those figures, so they should be treated as the brigade’s safety context, not a fresh 2025/26 statistical series.
The practical guidance is to keep heaters clear of combustible material, avoid drying clothes on them, and reduce the risk of someone knocking or falling onto one. Follow maintenance instructions and check for product recalls.
What about chimney, electrical and appliance fires?
This page covers portable and fixed space heaters, electric heaters, electric blankets and open-fire ignition in the home. A few closely related topics sit elsewhere so the numbers stay clean. Fixed solid-fuel and chimney fires — fires confined to a chimney — are a separate incident category covered on their own page, not here. General electrical faults and wiring fires are covered by our sister site’s guide to electrical fire statistics in the UK. And fires started by white goods and other household appliances — washing machines, tumble dryers, fridge-freezers — are counted under different FIRE0602 categories again, covered in our white goods fire statistics. If you are quoting a figure, check it belongs to the space-heating-appliance category before attributing it to “heaters”.
Do these figures cover the whole of the UK?
The headline statistics cover England. MHCLG table FIRE0602 separates ignition sources and incident types. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own fire statistics; their figures should retain their original geography, period and definitions.
Do not treat England as a numerical estimate for the whole UK. The space-heating category is also broader than portable electric heaters, while electric blankets and contained chimney fires are counted separately.
How do you prevent a heater fire?
Fire and rescue services advise taking care with both fixed and portable heaters. Keep heaters at least one metre from curtains, bedding, furniture and anything else that can burn. Never use a heater to dry clothes or drape washing over it. Sit portable heaters on a hard, level surface where they cannot be knocked over, and keep them clear of walkways. Switch heaters off before you leave the room, leave the house or go to sleep. Buy from reputable retailers, register for recall alerts, and check older electric blankets for wear and scorching every year.
The other half of the equation is early warning. A working smoke alarm can provide earlier warning and time to escape; our companion page on smoke alarm statistics sets out the ownership and failure data. Where gas fires and paraffin heaters are used, a carbon monoxide alarm matters too: see our carbon monoxide poisoning statistics. For workplaces — offices, care homes, workshops and any premises where portable heaters appear in winter — heater risk belongs in the fire risk assessment, and staff fire awareness training is part of the control measures the Responsible Person must provide.
Frequently asked questions
How many fires do portable heaters cause in the UK each year?
England recorded 1,241 primary fires started by space-heating appliances in 2025/26, including 747 accidental dwelling fires. This category includes fixed and portable heating equipment; it is not a portable-heater-only total.
How many people die in heater fires in the UK?
There were 12 deaths and 227 non-fatal casualties in space-heating primary fires in England in 2025/26. The five-year total for 2021/22 to 2025/26 was 77 deaths from 6,143 fires.
Is it safe to leave an electric heater on overnight?
Fire services advise switching portable heaters off before going to bed and keeping them away from bedding and other combustible materials. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Are electric blanket fires increasing?
Electric-blanket primary fires in England increased from 37 in 2024/25 to 46 in 2025/26 in FIRE0602. The latest total included one death and 14 non-fatal casualties. These are separate from space-heating-appliance totals.
Are heaters a common cause of house fires?
Space-heating appliances accounted for 747 of England’s 23,795 accidental dwelling fires in 2025/26, about 3.1%. Cooking appliances accounted for 9,928. Counts do not measure risk per appliance in use.
Where do UK heater fire statistics come from?
The core source is MHCLG table FIRE0602, published in August 2026 with data through 2025/26. Local fire services provide practical advice, while historical surveys describe heater-use intentions for their stated periods.
Related guides
- Smoke Alarm Statistics UK: Ownership, Failures & Lives Saved
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Statistics UK: Deaths, Incidents & Alarms
- Candle Fire Statistics UK: Fires, Deaths & Seasonal Trends
- UK Fire Classes Explained: A, B, C, D, F (and L)
- How to Use a Fire Extinguisher: The PASS Method Explained
Sources & references
- MHCLG — FIRE0602, ignition-source tables, 2025/26
- MHCLG — England fire and rescue incidents, year ending March 2026
- London Fire Brigade — Portable heaters, gas fires and open fires
- Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service — Portable-heater safety
- Electrical Safety First — Censuswide heater survey, October 2022
Heaters cause a small share of house fires but a disproportionate share of the deaths — get every employee fire aware in around 90 minutes.
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Mark writes about workplace health & safety, fire safety awareness and accredited online training for Fire Safety Awareness Training, part of Online CPD Academy.