For most households, energy is an expensive essential, not least because of the ongoing shortages across the world. With the global energy crisis hitting many countries hard, coupled with an increase in homeworking, household bills are unsurprisingly skyrocketing. However, there are plenty of steps you can take to lower your energy usage and make your home more sustainable to run. Click or scroll on to find out more...
In September 2023, an open letter from 140 charities, backed by Martin Lewis and MoneySavingExpert.com, called on the current Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt (pictured), to introduce a social tariff that would prevent millions of households from falling into fuel poverty this year. This was something the Government had pledged to consult on in the November 2022 Autumn Statement. Martin Lewis says: “I was excited when the Government said it’d bring one in. Now I’m despairing at the deafening silence of inaction."
As of October 2023, Ofgem has introduced a new energy price cap, which means that the maximum amount energy providers can charge those on default tariffs between now and 31 December 2023 (based on the average usage of UK households) is £1,834 per year for a typical household that pays by Direct Debit. This represents a 7% drop in prices between July and September 2023.
The energy price cap changes every three months, fluctuating depending on wholesale energy prices, which are down at the moment, as well as other factors, such as VAT. Over the next three months, customers on variable tariffs will pay no more than 27 pence per kWh of electricity and 53 pence standing charge per day, and 7 pence per kWh of gas and 30 pence standing charge per day.
Though the news appears to be good, it’s worth remembering that this is just a cap on the unit rates – if you use more energy, you will pay more. Martin Lewis says most households will also still be paying more this year compared with last year due to there no longer being a £400 energy grant. People on a prepaid meter will still be charged more than those with a direct debit, though the price difference will still be covered by the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee until March 2024, says Ofcom.
Though energy caps are dropping for these three months, the signs are that they will rise again by January, so Martin Lewis advises consumers to take advantage of one of the new fixed deals that undercut the price cap. Based on current predictions, he even suggests fixing if the fix is 1% higher than the cap, though there is no guarantee this will work out cheaper in the long run. You can assess the options available to you at MoneySavingExpert.com and try its 'Should I fix?' calculator.
There are thankfully plenty of steps you can take to lower energy bills in your own home. A lot of wasted electricity happens through leaving appliances plugged in that aren’t being used. The energy costs can really add up, so to err on the side of caution, unplug anything that isn’t being used and switch the power off at the plug. Even charging cables that are not in use will still use electricity!
Dryers use up a ton of energy, so cutting them out of your laundry routine can save a bit of money. Instead of turning on your dryer, hang your clothes outside on a line when possible, or even on an indoor clothes airer if you have no outdoor space/the weather does not allow for it, to chip away at your electricity bill.
The best way to shave money off your electric bill is to not use electricity at all! Outdoor solar lights soak up solar energy during the day, then light up the outside of your home at night for free.
Smart devices and appliances will allow you to keep track of your energy usage for a particular device while on the go. Many smart home devices also come with automatic decision-making skills. While you can override these, they can come in handy as the system learns your needs.
Like other smart appliances, smart thermostats are popular devices that allow you to control the heating in your home from your smartphone. Money Saving Expert says they can do so much more than just turn your heating on and off remotely, with common features including: "multi-room control, hot water control, 'geofencing' to track when you leave and enter your home, draught detection, safety and holiday mode."
If the sun is out, make sure to open up your curtains or blinds. Solar energy, even in the winter, can help heat up your home and the best part is, it's completely free!
An easy DIY job, applying caulk around windows will stop any air leaks that are allowing heat to escape. Remove any old caulk carefully using a putty knife, screwdriver or special solvent and make sure the area is dry. Apply fresh caulk to all joints in the window frame, and any joints between the frame and wall for a tightly sealed window.
According to the National Energy Foundation, you can save as much as 20% of your energy bill with good loft insulation. A simple and effective way to reduce heat loss, insulating your loft, attic or flat roof is super efficient and can last for around 40 years, making it a cost-effective way to save energy.
Leaving pipes exposed throughout your house can end up costing you money, as the heat escaping is simply lost. By installing pipe insulation you can reduce the amount of heat loss and keep your water hotter for longer. Pipe insulation also prevents pipes from freezing during cold weather, which can lead to cracked pipes, blockages and flooding – all of which are costly to repair.
Heating a draughty house is like burning money, and you’ll probably crank up the thermostat and keep the central heating on for longer to try and stay warm. While ventilation is crucial for a healthy home, draughty windows and doors are easy to seal with stick-on insulation tape you can buy online or from a DIY store. You can also seal floorboards and cracks to help the process, but avoid boarding up airbricks or ventilation panels or you could find condensation and damp becomes a problem.
A lot of electricity is used in lighting a home, but you can use less by simply switching out your old lightbulbs. Readily available, LED lights can use up to 75% less energy and also last up to 25 times longer than a regular bulb. Even if you just change the bulbs in the main rooms of your home, you should notice a difference.
Paired with some new LED lightbulbs, dimmer switches are also a great way to reduce your energy usage. By reducing the flow of electricity they are known to extend the lifespan of bulbs, too, as they are running at a lower power.
Installing timers for different appliances and devices in your home is a simple way to reduce the amount of energy you use. Useful for safety and security, they are also perfect for that one family member who always leaves the lights on.
As appliances age, their overall energy efficiency can drop. Whether it be ageing parts, broken seals or faulty controls, most aren't meant to last longer than around 10 years. With technology improving all the time, most new appliances are more environmentally friendly and will ensure you don't spend money where you don't need to. If you're on the lookout for a new appliance, look out for models rated A+++.
You probably already know not to keep your freezer door open for too long. But keeping a full freezer can also help cut electricity usage. The food acts as insulation, keeping your freezer from working so hard to keep things cool. If you are short of food to bulk up your fridge, fill it up with bags of ice or supplies of your favourite fruit and veg.
Maintaining your fridge is more than just keeping everything organised. Keeping an eye on the internal temperature is the first step in saving on your energy usage. Invest in a fridge thermometer and keep the temperature between a cool 2.2°C and 3.3°C. If you are at the lower end of the range nudge the temperature dial up for energy savings, according to Beko.
To save energy, try using a slow cooker to prepare a meal throughout the day. According to Uswitch, the average-sized slow cooker uses just 1.3 kWh of electricity per meal, which equates to around 9p per hour on the average energy tariff. Also, what's better than coming home to a nourishing hot meal that's cost next to nothing?
It's no surprise that food will cook faster when covered as it keeps in the heat. Cover anything you cook on the hob with a lid, so that the food cooks quicker and you can turn your energy-guzzling hob off sooner.
One of the simplest ways to save money on your electricity bill is to run your appliances at night. Utility companies tend to charge higher rates in the daytime when everyone is using their devices and slash prices at night during low-peak hours. Check with your utility company to find out your local peak and off-peak rates.
Fireplaces can warm up a room, but they can also rob a house of heating by letting it escape up the chimney. If you have a working fireplace, you can equip it with a door that has operable vents, so that you can seal in the heat when it is not in use. Another option is to use a chimney balloon to block the chimney. When you want to light a fire, simply deflate and store it away and it can be used again.
According to EDF Energy, swapping just one bath a week for a four-minute shower will save around £14 of energy per year. However, the average shower in the UK lasts eight minutes, and in that time around 60 litres of water is used, according to The Green Age. Heating water for these showers can sky-rocket your energy bills, so installing a water-saving showerhead will work wonders and you won't even be able to tell the difference. And of course, you could always get out a little earlier.
If you're washing your clothes in hot water, think again. By heating up the water you're wasting a chunk of money. Most washing machines have an eco-cycle that operates at 30°C, which is fine for most materials and if anything is particularly dirty, soak the items before you put them in or use a laundry sanitiser to kill bacteria.
If the temperature of your water is set too high on your boiler, you could be wasting energy heating up water when it isn't needed. Too high and you can also scald yourself, while too low and you are at risk of pathogens such as Legionella bacteria. Ideally, your hot water should be stored at 60°C. You can check this by holding a thermometer under the tap for one minute where it should measure a minimum of 50°C.
Your wallet won't thank you for keeping your exterior lights on all night, and neither will your neighbours. Make sure they are on a timer, or even better, a motion sensor so that they only come on when needed.
A garage can be one of the most versatile spaces in a house, but can often become unusable in the winter months because it gets so cold. Insulating the interior wall that separates your garage from your living space will stop you from losing heat in the colder months. For extra efficiency, you can invest in an insulated door or get handy with the DIY.
If you don't have one already, it's time to get a smart meter. Free to install as part of the UK's Government's smart meter rollout they have a number of benefits. They provide more accurate bills, which means the end of overpaying for your energy and since they record your usage, it's easy to see where you are using a lot of electricity.
As well as turning your heating down, the Government's Help for Households campaign suggests checking your boiler flow. It says: "If you have a Combi boiler, its efficiency can be improved by adjusting the ‘flow temperature’ dial/setting to 60 degrees." This doesn't make your home colder but slows the time it takes to heat it up, though it suggests that those over 65 or with pre-existing health conditions should set the flow temperature to a slightly higher 65°C.
According to the ecoexperts, air fryers don't use a lot of electricity, in fact, they use between 800 and 1800 watts compared to ovens, which typically use between 2,200 and 5,000 watts. It says: As a rule of thumb, the larger your appliance is, the more electricity it will use. However, some models are more energy efficient than others, so make sure you check the size and wattage of your appliance.
This is a mantra worth remembering as there are other things you could try before putting the heating on: electric blankets, for instance, cost a fraction of the price. Warmer Blankets says its fully-fitted bed blankets start at just 2p per hour, costing around 6p per day or 42p per week, assuming you use it for around three hours per day. The company's heated throws and luxury blankets cost around 12p per day – still cheaper than putting the heating on.
With colder days and nights, comes a rise in our consumption of hot drinks. But think before you put your kettle on to make another cup of tea or coffee – only boil the amount of water you need, otherwise, you're wasting energy. According to Energy Saving Trust, you could save £37 a year when combined with fitting a tap aerator.
One of the areas of your home where heat escapes the most is your windows, so safeguard your snugness by hanging thermal blinds or curtains. According to EDF Energy, thermal curtains cut heat loss in your home by 27% and can save an average of £291 a year on your energy bills, as long as you keep them closed in the evenings, that is.
Have a guest room that's only used occasionally or perhaps your children are off at university during term term? Whatever the reason, if you have rooms in your home that are empty more often than they're occupied, then it makes sense to turn the radiators down low or even off completely. EDF Energy says that by doing this, you can reduce your home's gas bill by 4.5%, saving up to £55 per year.
Trapped air in radiators can make them less efficient, taking them longer to warm up your home. If you feel a room is taking longer to heat than it should, carefully touch the radiator. If it's hot at the bottom but cooler at the top, it means there's air that needs to be released. Get your bleed key – all hardware stores sell them – and open the bleed valve by turning it anticlockwise to release the air. You might wish to get a bowl to catch any water that accidentally comes out. If in doubt, follow our easy guide on how to bleed a radiator.
As grandma loved to say: put on a jumper before you turn the heating up. The World Health Organisation recommends that your home should be a minimum of 18°C for a comfortable temperature. By reducing your heating by just 1°C you can cut your bill by about 10% while helping the environment, says the WWF.
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