How to reduce your energy bills
The Energy Saving Trust has a range of resources and advice to help keep your home warm and energy efficient for the colder months ahead. Some of their cost-saving tips for reducing your energy bills and warming your home are below:
- Switch off standby - You can save around £65 a year by turning appliances off standby mode. Most electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting the programming. Find out which appliances use the most energy in your home.
- Draught-proof windows and doors - Unless your home is new, you will lose heat through droughts around doors and windows or through the chimney. Professional draught-proofing of windows, and doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can cost around £225 but can save around £125 a year on energy bills. DIY draught-proofing can be much cheaper. Find out more about reducing home heat loss.
- Turn off lights - Turn your lights off when you are not using them or when leaving a room. This will save you around £25 a year on your annual energy bills. Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs could help you save even more.
- Careful washing and drying - You can save £34 a year by using your washing machine more carefully. Avoiding tumble drying and drying on racks can save £70 a year: Use your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures. Reduce your washing machine use by one run per week for a year.
- Spend less time in the bath and shower - Keep your shower time to just 5 minutes to save a typical household £95a year on their energy bills. And swap just one bath a week for a 5-minute shower to save £20 a year on your energy bills. Find out how saving water at home can help your wallet and the environment.
- Be savvy in the kitchen - Avoid overfilling the kettle and save yourself £13 a year on your electricity bill.
- Fill your dishwasher - Only run your dishwasher when full to reduce water usage. Reducing your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year could save you £17.
For more cost-saving tips on reducing your energy bills visit The Energy Saving Trust Website
Further Support
The government has created financial aid to help families with energy costs and resources to help keep their homes warm.
Simple Energy Advice - Government website
Energy Saving Trust