Energy savings tips – How to slash bills as ‘colder months arrive’

When will households start receiving money off energy bills?

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Chancellor Jeremy Hunt this week announced the energy support scheme would only continue until April 2023. It means slashing bills will be more important than ever for millions of households. 

Express.co.uk spoke to Karen Barrett, founder and CEO of Unbiased.co.uk, who discussed how Britons could save money.

She said: “Monitoring your usage is a sensible first step. 

“This will give you a clear idea about how you consume energy, and help you identify any areas where savings can be made.

“For example, you may notice that you shower longer than necessary, the costs of which can mount up over the course of a year. 

“An eight-minute shower can cost up to 40p. Therefore, cutting your shower time in half could save you around £70 a year.”

Britons will use various appliances around the home, such as their TV, kettle, microwave and toaster.

However, it is easy to forget to turn these off at the switch when they aren’t being used.

But by forgetting to do so, people could end up paying more on their energy bills than necessary.

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As a result, Ms Barrett urged individuals to look into this matter if they are hoping to cut their costs.

There may even be an easier solution than actively remembering to switch items off. 

She continued: “Switching off your appliances in standby mode can also shave some pounds off your energy bill.

“Appliances include TVs, washing machines, and coffee machines – make sure these are turned off at the plug.

“It might be worth buying a timer plug which can automatically switch your appliances on and off at set intervals.

“According to calculations by the Energy Savings Trust, between nine percent and 16 percent of electricity used in homes is for appliances in standby mode.”

The organisation states Britons could save around £35 a year by remembering to turn their appliances off standby mode.

Cranking up the heat in winter is likely to be a common action millions of households are taking.

While it is never good to feel uncomfortable or cold in the home, a slight change could make a difference to costs with only a subtle temperature alteration.

Ms Barrett added: “When the colder months arrive later in the year, turning down your thermostat just one degree can result in immediate savings.”

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The Energy Savings Trust has outlined some other ways Britons could cut their costs from this winter onwards.

For example, a 7kg washing machine used 220 times a year costs around £29 to £35 each year to run, but individuals could save £8 a year by reducing their use by just one cycle a week.

Replacing all lightbulbs in the home with energy efficient LEDs could save up to £40 a year.

Draught proofing is a good way to keep heat in the home, the trust stated, urging people to protect the heat by their windows and doors.

Doing so could help people to save around £25 a year, and this could be done either through a professional or with DIY.

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