UK households are being urged to switch five devices at home to slash up to £268 off their annual energy bills.
Electricity and gas supplier Utilita Energy says households can cut down on costs simply by changing the way they use energy at home, with just five adjustments resulting in huge savings of more than £200.
The advice comes as part of the supplier’s ‘Energy High 5’ campaign which aims to encourage positive behaviour changes to avoid wasting energy.
Utilitia says that the biggest change households can make is simply turning your heating down by one degree, with the change shaving up to £136 off energy bills per year.
Households are also urged to ditch tumble dryers or heated airers and opt to air dry laundry whenever possible, as this will save you £55 annually.
You should always avoid leaving devices on standby and make sure to unplug gadgets when they’re not in use to save £47 per year.
Switching lights off in rooms that aren’t in use can save you up to £22 per year, while avoiding running the washing machine for small or half loads will make you an £8 annual saving. Together, these five easy switches amount to a total saving of up to £268 per year.
Utilitia said: “Utilita’s #EnergyHigh5 campaign is a positive behaviour change campaign designed to educate the nation on how every household can waste less energy and save on their annual energy bill by making five simple and free-of-charge adjustments to the way we use energy at home.
“Don’t let energy wastage burn a hole in your pocket. There are many ways you can reduce your energy spend – and get some little wins during these tough times.”
The advice comes as household energy bills increased this month as Ofgem’s new price cap came into effect on January 1.
The 1.2% increase means the typical energy bill for homes in England, Scotland and Wales has now gone up from £1,717 a year to £1,738 – around £1.75 extra per month.
An extra £1.75 each month may sound small but it comes on top of a previous 10% hike in October last year – and the price cap is expected to rise again in April.
As such, households are advised to take advantage of fixed deals among suppliers as many are cheaper than the current price cap, but making changes at home can also lead to big savings.
