11 Dec 2025
The emergencies that stole Christmas: Here's what to watch out for this December
Carols, mulled wine, turkey, mince pies and... A burst pipe?
For some, that’s all too real and our research shows Christmas home emergencies are leaving some households with an unexpected - and less than festive - bill.
Specifically, more than a quarter (28%) of homeowners have experienced a festive home emergency!
According to HomeServe’s internal data from the past two years (2023 and 2024), plumbing issues are the leading cause of call-outs in December.
In December 2023, plumbing accounted for 64% of all call-outs, and in 2024, it made up more than half - 54%.
Gas issues were the next most common reason for call-outs during the festive month, at 17% in 2023 and 14% in 2024.
HomeServe’s internal data reflects a national trend
When looking at the issue nationwide through consumer polling, we found the same trend!
The data revealed 19% of people have had boiler issues over Christmas, followed by heating problems (18%) and a complete loss of hot water (17%).
On average, Brits report their festive fixes costing on average £220, stacking up to a national bill of £3.2 billion.
A loss of hot water was the most expensive issue to fix at Christmas, costing on average £220.20. Heating failures were similar at £217.10, with 15% of people reporting to have paid more than £500 to bring some warmth back to their homes.
The data showed drain or pipe blockages cost an average of £208.04.
Average costs to fix home emergencies at Christmas time
| Home emergency | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Loss of hot water | £220 |
| Heating failure | £217 - £500 |
| Drain and pipe blockages | £208 |
Festive fixes are impacting Brits at Christmas
A whopping 83% of people who have experienced a festive home emergency in the last five years say it has had an impact on them, rising to 86% among Gen Z.
More than a third of those impacted (38%) say it made them feel stressed, while 23% said it made others in the household stressed as well.
Almost a fifth (18%) said they experienced physical discomfort as a result, with 17% having to alter or completely cancel Christmas plans!
Find out more about how home emergency cover could help you.
Methodology
Extrapolation based on 28 percent of the UK adult population (18+) of approximately 52 million people, using ONS mid-year population estimates, multiplied by the average reported repair cost of £220.20.
Unless otherwise stated, data is based on Opinium commissioned research among 2,000 UK adults aged 18 and over in November 2025.