Gas and electricity bills jumped 10% from October 1 after regulator Ofgem hiked the energy cap to £1,717 a year, and they look set to jump again in January.
This is a further blow to millions of pensioners who have been stripped of their Winter Fuel Payment by Labour.
A cold and snowy winter is the last thing we need now, said Greg Marsh, chief executive of household bill website Nous.co. “Worryingly, more households than ever are in debt to their energy supplier, owing more than £1,000 on average even before winter gets going.”
Most of us have tried every trick to keep bills down, but it’s still worth giving it another shot, just to be sure.
Marsh suggested those paying by direct debit check if they’ve built up credit over the summer. “If you’re in debt now, your monthly payments are set too low and you risk building up even more debt over the winter.”
As a rule of thumb, by November you should have credit worth at least one monthly payment.
Direct debit is still the cheapest way to pay for gas and electricity, Marsh said. “Paying by cash or cheque costs around £100 a year more.”
When dozens of smaller energy suppliers went bust during the energy shock, switching became impossible.
As suppliers compete for new customers again Marsh urged people to shop around for a better deal, with typical savings of around £150.
Money saving expert Gemma Bird, who blogs under the name The Money Mum, said a few affordable hacks can boost your home’s energy efficiency.
Heat escapes primarily through gaps in doors, windows and other openings, making it harder and costlier to keep rooms warm.
Bird recommends buying Diall White self-adhesive draught excluders, which cost just £9.97 from B&Q stores or its website DIY.com. “Stick them along door bottoms, window frames or anywhere you feel a draught. They don’t leave any marks.”
She suggested buying a smart plug to control household electrical appliances, rather than leaving energy-draining products like lights, TVs and sound systems on standby. “It’s a small, affordable tech upgrade that can make a difference to energy bills.”
Bird said the TCP Smart Plug 240V costs just £15 and lets you control plugged-in devices directly from your phone, including household appliances, Christmas tree lights or the TV, without complicated installation.
A temporary curtain can block create a thermal barrier at draughty doorways, and you can install one using an extendable curtain pole, which cost from £17, she added. “The pole can be moved from room-to-room or taken down without any damage and reused next year.”
Bird also suggested using a heated clothes airer for drying. “Tumble dryers are the costliest home appliance. A heated airer is a more efficient way to dry clothes during winter.”
This particular tip can bring outsize savings over time.
The Addis Aluminium & Plastic Heated Airer costs £45 from B&Q but only around 6p per hour to run. By contrast, running a tumble dryer can cost a shocking 75p per hour.
Bird suggested using the heated airer with a portable dehumidifier. “It will pull moisture from the air, helping clothes dry faster.”
A dehumidifier also prevents condensation on windows, as well as mould and mildew. The TCP 12L Smart Dehumidifier Ultra Quiet retails from £99 and costs just 5p an hour to run.
Ed Fleming, energy saving expert at Savoo, suggested doing energy-intensive tasks when costs are lower. “Using the tumble dryer at night saves money as energy costs drop due to lower demand. Washing clothes at 20° degrees is almost two thirds cheaper than washing at 40° degrees.”
Heating expert Dave Lines at HomeHow.co.uk, said instead of heating the entire house, focus on the rooms you use the most frequently. “Use thermostats or radiator valves to control the temperature in specific areas.”
Make the most of natural heat sources, such as sunlight, Lines said. “Open your curtains during the day and allow warmth to enter your home. At night, close them to prevent heat loss through the windows.”
Smart thermostats allow you to programme your heating schedule, adjust temperatures and optimise energy usage, Lines said. “Regular boiler servicing and bleeding radiators can boost heating efficiency, while radiator reflectors direct heat back into the room, rather than being absorbed by the wall.”
