MILLIONS of households across the UK will see their annual energy bill rise by £35 from October.
The energy price cap is set to increase from £1,720 a year to £1,755, piling further pressure on families already struggling to make ends meet.
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But an easy trick can knock £90 off your bills, helping you to keep warm this winter without breaking the bank.
The Energy Saving Trust said turning your thermostat down by just one degree can save you £90 a year in Great Britain.
Meanwhile, doing so in Northern Ireland could shave £100 off your bill.
You should set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature for your needs, it added.
Read more on energy bills
For most people, this is between 18 and 21 degrees.
That means turning your thermostat down from 22 to 18 degrees could save you £360 a year.
But if you have a health condition that could get worse because of the cold then you shouldn’t set your thermostat lower than 21 degrees.
The exact amount of money you will save by turning your thermostat down depends on the size of your home, how quickly it loses heat, how many hours your heating is on for, how mild the winter is and the tariff you have for your energy bills.
Of course, the easiest way to cut your bill is to not turn your heating on at all.
But as the temperature plummets, not turning on your heating can cause health problems.
It can also lead to expensive issues with your home including burst pipes.
How can I control my thermostat?
A good way to start is to turn your thermostat down by one degree and see how it feels.
With a digital or smart thermostat simply press the up and down arrows to lower the temperature.
Meanwhile, for a dial-type thermostat, just turn the dial anticlockwise.
What energy bill help is available?
There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
You could save even more money with a programmable thermostat, which you can set to control your heating based on whether you are at home, out or asleep.
Installing a programmer, thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves can save you £110 a year on your energy bill in Great Britain, or £120 a year in Northern Ireland.
A programmer allows you to set on and off time periods for your central heating.
Typically, you should set the central heating programme to:
- Turn on around half an hour before you get up.
- Turn off around half an hour before you go to bed.
Check that the programmer is not automatically set to turn your heating on when the clocks change in spring and autumn.
You should check your thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to make sure you’re not heating rooms you don’t use.
TRVs are the controls on your radiator that let you set its individual temperature.
They’re usually attached to one of the pipes that goes into your radiator and have a dial with numbers on it that you can adjust.
Is it cheaper to leave my heating on all day?
In most homes, leaving your heating on all day will not save you money.
Instead, it’s best to turn it on only when you need it.
When your heating is on all day your home is steadily losing heat and you never benefit from the warmth as it is at such a low level.
This is especially true if your home is draughty or poorly insulated.
Plus, there’s no point heating your home if you’re out.
It’s also more cost-effective to turn your heating off at night and stay warm with a high tog duvet or extra blanket.
But there are a couple of exceptions to this rule.
You may want to keep your heating on low if you have underfloor heating.
This is because it can take a long time to warm up, so it’s more effective when left on.
Meanwhile, if your home struggles with condensation, then it’s worth keeping your heating on at a steady level to stop the condensation building on warm surfaces such as walls and windows.
If it’s left unchecked then condensation can cause damp and mould.
Meanwhile, if you have a heat pump then it could be a good idea to leave your heating on.
This is because heat pumps are most efficient when they maintain a stable background heat as they deliver warmth at lower, consistent temperatures.
You can also keep your home warm by investing in insulation, sealing leaks and draughts, closing your curtains or upgrading your boiler.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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