Roughly 10 million pensioners will not receive the 2024 winter fuel payment which is due to changes in its eligibility rule.
This means that millions of struggling pensioners won’t get the once universal £300 benefit to help them pay their heating bills.
With cold wintery days officially a reality, finding ways to keep warm that don’t break the bank is essential.
This is where a once shunned item that was popular during the 70s has made a comeback with Greg Jackson the founder of Octopus Energy suggesting they’re one answer for people who are worried about heating bills.
Jackson stated recently that these items are far more economical to stay warm rather than firing up the boiler.
Back in 1912, American doctor Sidney Russell came up with an ingenious device known as an electric blanket to help tuberculosis patients keep warm during the winter and when the ward’s windows were open.
The device, back then, was fitted with electrical wires which were covered in insulated metal tape.
These electric blankets underwent a number of changes over the years and grew in popularity in the UK, even making a comeback in 2020 among younger folk thanks to its cosy benefits.
Jackson spoke with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and said: “If people are worried about their heating, they can stay warm and healthier much more cheaply by snuggling up in electric blankets for a while.”
Jackson believes electric blankets are one tip for millions of pensioners struggling this winter – so much so that Octopus Energy sent out roughly 65,000 free electric blankets to its customers.
He added: “They’re not tokenism. It saves 300 quid a year on your gas bill during the crisis and keeps you warm.”
Money Expert Martin Lewis also jumped on the electric blanket bandwagon back in 2022 as a response to the cost of living crisis.
In his newsletter, Heat the Human Not the Home, Lewis offers novel ideas to keep Brits warm without spending a fortune in a survival guide as temperatures plummet.
And it would seem an electric blanket truly is the survival item this winter as they only cost around 2p an hour to run, as reported in The Telegraph.
This is a stark comparison as to how much it costs using a gas central heating system which runs at an average of £1.70 an hour to use.
Today electric blankets are far more practical than what they once were with some coming with both a timer and heating settings including dual controls to allow for two people to benefit from its warmth.
Today’s versions of electric blankets also come in a variety of materials which are washable and are largely much safer with better technology methods allowing for a toasty warm bed without the skyrocketing heating bills.
