How to keep your home safe as the nights draw in
Must know
According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales 2025, almost 7 in 10 burglaries occur in the evening or at night, with more than 3 in 5 taking place after dark.
In short
Follow our main tips for home safety this autumn and winter:
- Light up your home inside and out
- Don’t advertise an empty home
- Test your alarms when the clocks change
- Sweep the chimney before your first autumn fire
- Fit a carbon monoxide and smoke alarm
- Get fuel-burning appliances serviced
- Use LED candles instead of real ones
- Check electricals before putting the heating on
Why your home is at risk when the clocks go back
As the clocks go back, nights become longer and colder. With the change in season, some everyday risks around the home can increase too. There's no need for concern but taking a few simple steps now can help you stay safe and comfortable throughout the cold months.
Burglaries
In 2025, researchers at the University of Sheffield worked with South Yorkshire Police to analyse 10 years of crime records. They found that burglary is more likely to occur after dark than during the day.1
A home that appears dark and unoccupied may be more attractive to opportunistic burglars. That’s why police forces across the UK run security campaigns each autumn.2
Home fires
It’s not just crime that’s a risk to your home when the clocks go back. If you have a chimney, you also need to be aware of the risk of fires in the autumn and winter months when chimney fires are more likely.3
Home safety tips as the nights draw in
Follow our tips to protect your home, health and safety this winter:
- Improve your home security – darker evenings give burglars extra cover. Minimise potential hiding places by cutting vegetation and lowering fences at the front of your property. Add outdoor lighting at entrances and use simple deterrents like timed indoor lights when you’re out.
Consider installing motion-sensor lights and smart security systems, such as CCTV linked to a smartphone. Remember to lock all your doors and secure your windows at night.4 - Don’t advertise that your home is empty – the police recommend avoiding writing posts on social media and getting a neighbour to check your home, remove the post, and put your bins out and back.5
- Check smoke alarms and be aware of fire safety – when the nights draw in, the heating comes on, and candles and log burners come out. Never leave candles unattended and keep them away from curtains. The fire brigade recommends using LED candles instead.6
Install a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm.7 if you don’t have one already and use a fuel-burning boiler or have any gas appliances, which should also be regularly serviced by a registered engineer.8 Smoke alarms do not detect CO, but they do detect smoke and fire.
Test the CO alarm button every month and replace any batteries once a year. You should also check the smoke alarm battery as per the manufacturer’s instructions.9 - Get your chimney and fireplace winter ready – If you have a chimney with an open fire or log burner, now’s a good time to make sure it’s ready for the colder months. Chimney fires are most common during winter, when fireplaces and stoves are used more often.
To help keep your home safe, arrange for your chimney to be professionally swept at least once a year for smokeless fuels and twice a year if you burn wood. This helps remove soot and debris, improves ventilation, and reduces the risk of a fire.10
If you use a log burner or other solid fuel appliance, it's also important to have a working carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Around 68% of carbon monoxide deaths in England occur in autumn and winter.11 Carbon monoxide is invisible, odourless and can be dangerous if it builds up in your home.
While chimney fires have fallen significantly over the past decade, there were still more than 2,000 chimney fires reported in England in the year ending March 2025.10 A simple annual check can help you enjoy your fire safely throughout winter.
To help keep your home safe, arrange for your chimney to be professionally swept at least once a year for smokeless fuels and twice a year if you burn wood. This helps remove soot and debris, improves ventilation, and reduces the risk of a fire. - Ensure your electrical safety – as we head into winter, check your electric blanket for burn marks or damaged cables before you go to bed. Electrical Safety First recommends replacing an electric blanket every 10 years.12
Don’t overload sockets, as this can increase the risk of a fire. Unplug an electric blanket, a heater or any other appliance if you hear crackling sounds, the circuit breaker trips, or it feels hot.13 - Improve artificial lighting – making sure you have good lighting on stairwells and hallways is good advice, especially if they’re dark or dull spaces. As the nights get darker, the NHS suggests adding night lights along routes to the bathroom to reduce the risk of falls if you need to get up at night.14
Stay safe when the clocks go back
As the nights draw in and the clocks go back, it’s worth taking a few simple steps to protect your home and those who live in it. By staying aware of seasonal risks and preparing your home for the colder months, you can enjoy greater peace of mind and a safer, more comfortable winter.
Find out more about Rias home insurance.
Sources
[1] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0324134&utm_source=pr&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=plos006
[2] https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2025/october/Continued-commitment-to-neighbourhood-crime-as-clocks-go-back/
[3] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6287b5f8d3bf7f1f44695435/Fire_Safety_in_the_Winter_v4_-_Web_accessible.pdf
[4] https://www.gmp.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/protect-home-crime/keep-burglars-out-property/
[5] https://www.scotland.police.uk/advice/break-in-and-housebreaking/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Orlo
[6] https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/candles/
[7] https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/carbon-monoxide-alarms/
[8] https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/
[9] https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fire-safety-home/alarms-sprinklers
[10] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/detailed-analysis-of-fires-england-april-2024-to-march-2025/detailed-analysis-of-fires-and-response-times-to-fires-attended-by-fire-and-rescue-services-england-april-2024-to-march-2025
[11] https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/11/18/how-to-protect-your-home-and-family-from-the-invisible-danger-of-carbon-monoxide/
[12] https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/products-and-appliances/heating-cooling/electric-blankets/
[13] https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/home-and-people/house-maintenance/overloading-sockets/
[14] https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/preventing-falls/home-safety/prevent-falls-by-identifying-hazards-at-home/#lighting