Households across the UK could slash their energy bills by up to £230 just by making some small adjustments. Customers with British Gas, EDF, EON, OVO Energy and Octopus Energy could all benefit from the savings, according to Gordon Wallis, an energy expert at Your NRG.
Simple changes for big savings
He explained: "People often think they need to install smart technology or replace their boiler to cut costs, but in reality small everyday changes can deliver significant savings."
A layer of trapped air can reduce heat loss significantly, especially in properties with single glazing. To solve this, placing bubble wrap on windows can help improve insulation. For those with combi boilers, turning off its pre-heat function can also save people cash to the tune of around £100 a year.
Cooking and laundry tips
Mr Wallis adds: "Cooking smarter is one of the easiest wins as you are using less energy for the same result." As for tumble dryers, adding a dry towel to the load or using wool dryer balls can also speed up its running time.
Energy bill warning for 12 million households
It comes after 12 million UK households have been issued a warning over energy bills. Research by Uswitch reveals that 63 per cent of homes on standard tariffs do not realise prices are expected to rise from 1 July, while 17 per cent mistakenly believe bills will fall.
The price cap sets the energy rates paid by homes on standard tariffs, and is predicted to increase £202 from 1 July, which would take the annual bill for an average home from £1,641 to £1,843.
Worryingly, a quarter of households on the standard tariffs affected by the changes don’t know what’s happening to the price cap on 1 July, and a fifth believe that their energy costs will fall.
Expert advice
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch, said: "Nearly 12 million households on standard tariffs are sleepwalking towards energy bill hikes, with their prices predicted to increase 12% in July. More worryingly, almost half of those on standard tariffs mistakenly believe that they’re on the best deal, despite the fact that the average home could save hundreds of pounds with a fixed deal.
"Two-thirds of households say even a 10% increase in their energy bills would hit their finances, so now’s the time to act to protect yourself from higher costs. Take a moment to check online to see what deals are available to you. The cheapest fixed deals available at the moment are 13% less than the predicted July price cap, so we urge households to lock in lower rates while they’re available."
