Households can notch up substantial savings on their energy bills with a straightforward change that will take you just a few moments. Consumer specialists are urging individuals to dial down their heating thermostat by just one degree celsius, an action that could lead to sizeable reductions on energy costs.
Research conducted by analysts at University College London suggests that you could cut your costs by as much as £130 annually with this small tweak. While experts generally advise maintaining home temperatures between 18C to 22C, it’s not uncommon to find people’s heating set beyond what is necessary, for instance at 23C or higher.
Llewellyn Kinch, CEO of MakeMyHouseGreen, remarked: “An ideal temperature while you’re up and active at home is about 20C. You should find this to be about right for moderate levels of activity in the house.”
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For those who might feel a chill at these settings, Mr Kinch suggests putting on warmer clothing or using a blanket instead of cranking up the heating. Energy bills went up from the start of this year with the energy price cap increasing for January to March.
Average bills for a typical household are now at £1,738 a year. According to Citizens Advice, the number of individuals seeking assistance with their bills last year doubled compared to 2020. With escalating bills, the experts at energy comparison site Bionic also have a thermostat-related tip to help you minimise your heating costs.
Les Roberts, a business energy comparison expert, advised: “Only heating up your home when you need to can be done by simply setting the timer on the thermostat to start the heating at certain times or consider a time of use tariff that offers cheaper rates at certain times.” He also suggested switching to a time of use tariff or off-peak tariff, where the price of energy is lower at times when the grid is under less pressure and demand is lowest, typically between 10pm-8am.
In addition, you may benefit from upgrading to more modern and energy-efficient appliances. Mr Roberts explained: “It might be worth upgrading your large appliances, like washing machines and dishwashers if you’ve had them for more than 10 years.”
For households who can’t pay their bills, Mr Roberts outlined the rules: suppliers must give at least 28 days to repay any debt before taking action. If unpaid, they may install a prepayment meter, but only after providing seven days’ notice.
However, he emphasized that this is a “last resort” and suppliers should first offer a repayment plan to settle the outstanding amount. Mr Roberts cautioned: “Do note that if all the above conditions are met and your supplier does supply you with all the above assistance and you still refuse to pay, they do have the right to gain a warrant to enter your home and install a prepayment meter or they could change your smart meter setting to a pay-as-you-go set up.”
He added: “Your provider is also obliged to move your prepayment meter to a more accessible location if you are struggling to access it. For example, if you are disabled or have limited mobility and the prepayment meter has been installed out of your reach.”