Reducing energy bills

We know that keeping your home warm can be difficult, especially over the colder months.

There are many organisations that provide help and advice on reducing energy bills.

There are lots of things you can do at home to reduce your energy bills for little to no cost:

Heating

turn your thermostat down by 1°C to reduce your heating bills by up to 10%
use programmable heating controls to turn your heating on only when it’s needed
bleed your radiators every so often to avoid air becoming trapped inside and causing your radiator to take longer to warm up
close your curtains once the sun goes down to keep heat in your home
Fit thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to keep frequently visited rooms warm whilst turning off radiators in rooms that aren’t being used

set your hot water tank to 60°C to avoid water from being overheated
operate combi boilers in condensing mode
take a 3 minute shower rather than a bath as showers use a lot less hot water
Insulate your hot water pipes to stop heat escaping or fit your hot water tank with an insulating jacket

don’t leave electrical items on standby
don’t keep laptops and mobile phones on charge once they are fully charged
wash your clothes at 30°C with a full load each time
keep internal doors closed to reduce draughts
use ‘eco’ mode on appliances where possible
adjust the fridge temperature to reflect the weather – lower temperatures in winter and higher in summer

request a smart meter to keep track of your energy use, your energy supplier can install one for free
look for energy efficient lighting alternatives

See our energy efficiency services page to find out about other advice services and support available to help save money.

If you are struggling with money, visit our cost of living support pages for advice

If you are a homeowner or landlord, you may want to consider installing more significant measures to improve the energy efficiency of your home.