How to save money on your energy bills

The cost of living is at its highest level in a decade, with household energy bills being the largest expense.

In England, Scotland and Wales, the energy price cap is set by Ofgem. The cap was due to rise again by 80% from 1 October 2022 for 24 million people.

But, the UK Government has now frozen typical energy bills at around £2,500 for the next two years, starting this October. This is almost £1,000 less than typical bills would have risen to under the cap.

From October, your energy bills might be higher or lower than £2,500 if you use more or less energy than a typical household. 

With the cost of living on the rise, there’s never been a better time to cut your energy bills and be kind to the planet. We’ve put together some tips to help you and your family reduce your energy use in every room of your home. 
 

1. Home heating – whilst using less energy

Over half of our energy bills spend goes on heating and hot water. It’s really important to look at our home heating habits and see if there are small changes we can make to reduce our heating bills. 

• Turn down your thermostat. Just one degree lower could save you £80 a year. Set a timer on your thermostat for your heating to come on only when you need it. 
• Don’t heat empty rooms. Individual radiator thermostats mean you can adjust the temperature in each room accordingly.
• Keep doors between adjoining rooms shut. This way, you stop the heat from escaping. 
• Run your heating for an hour less each day. Even using a little less energy each day adds up to savings over time.
• Bleed your radiators. Trapped air can make your radiators less efficient, so they’ll be slower to heat up.
• Turn the water temperature down. Your combi boiler probably has the water temperature set to 80 degrees, but 65 degrees works just as well for maximum efficiency. This will heat the water to a lower temperature (still warm enough for a bath or shower) but save you valuable pennies. 
• Keep the heat in. Simply closing your blinds or curtains in the evening can also stop the heat loss by up to 17%. Just be sure your curtains don’t cover the radiators.

Good to know!

Block out unwanted gaps. Draught-proofing can be a cheap and easy way to keep the heat in. Energy Saving Trust claims you could save up to £45 a year draught-proofing your windows and doors. Not using your open chimney? Draught-proofing your chimney could save you up to £65 a year.

If your budget allows, do check whether you could benefit from extra measures that would keep your home warm more efficiently, saving on your energy bills in the long term:

• Insulation – keep the warmth in. Did you know that only 7.5% of UK homes have an insulation age of 2002 or younger? This means that a huge number of houses are not meeting the current insulation regulations.
• Boiler cover – includes boiler efficiency checks
• Boiler replacement – new boilers are much more efficient to run

2. Energy saving tips for the whole house

Invest in A-rated appliances. If you’re in the market for new home electricals, be sure to check the energy rating. The better the rating the more efficient the appliance, so the more you’ll save in the long term.

3. Kitchen – reduce your energy and water use even when cooking and washing up

• Stop the frost. Defrost your fridge freezer regularly to prevent it from using more energy than needed.
• Clean behind your fridge and freezer. Dusty condensing coils (used to cool and condense) can trap air and create heat – not what you want for your fridge. Keep them clean, and they’ll stay cool, using less energy.
• Use smaller pans. The smaller your pan, the less heat you’ll need. Using the right size pan for your meal means less energy wasted.
• Keep saucepan lids on. Your food will heat up faster.
• Fill the dishwasher before each cycle. Make sure your dishwasher is full and set to an economy setting. Plus, doing one less wash cycle a week could save you £14 a year. 
• Only boil the water you need. Over-filling the kettle wastes water, money and time. Instead, only boil as much water as you need.
• Fill your washing-up bowl. If you’re washing up by hand, you could save £25 a year by filling up a bowl rather than letting the hot tap run.

4. Bathroom – reduce your water and energy bills

Did you know that about 12% of a typical gas-heated home’s energy bill is from heating the water for showers, baths and water from the hot tap? [Source Energy Savings Trust 02/02/2022]

Here are some quick ways to save water and money on your energy bills

• Consider a water meter. Depending on your water provider and water usage, you could save with a water meter. Find out who supplies your water and contact them to find out more.

Good to know!

You could arrange a water-saving home visit. Some water companies offer in-home consultations about your water usage and can give you tips on using less water. They may also offer you water-saving devices. Get in touch with your water company to find out more.

Water UK estimates that a dripping tap wastes at least 5,500 litres of water a year, so fix drips and leaks as soon as they happen.

According to Energy Savings Trust, a 4-person household could save up to £38 on their gas bills and around £53 on their metered water bill each year with a more efficient, low-flow showerhead.

5. Home lighting and electronics – keep the lights on for less

• Change your light bulbs. Fitting LED bulbs is a great way to reduce energy use at home. Energy Saving Trust estimates it’d cost an average home around £100 to replace all its bulbs but cost £35 less a year in energy. 
• Switch off the lights. Every time you leave a room, switch the lights off. This could save you about £14 a year. 

Good to know!

According to the Energy Saving Trust, you could save up to £55 a year by turning appliances off at the wall

6. Check if your energy tariff is the best for you

Reviewing your energy tariff regularly could also save you money.

7. A smart meter could help you save

It’s important now, more than ever, to stay in control of your energy. With a smart meter, you’ll easily be able to track your energy usage and see where you can save so that you can lower your bills and your carbon footprint.

Smart benefits include:

• Upgrade your meter at no extra cost
• You’re in control – you can see the cost of your energy
• Receive more accurate bills
• Get a more personalised breakdown of your energy use
• If you use cards or keys, you can top up online

For more advice and tips on energy saving click here