- Brits battle it out over turning the heating on, says moneysupermarket.com
- More than 750,000 households will wrap up rather than turning their heating on this winter
Research from the UK's leading price comparison site found that turning the heating on this winter is a sensitive subject among UK bill payers, with a quarter (24 per cent) arguing with their family about when to turn the heating on; 16 per cent state they are irritated because someone else turns the heating on before they want it on and just under one in ten (eight per cent) admit to arguing with family or housemates as they want to turn the heating on sooner than others in their home.
The survey also reveals more than 750,000 people are planning to wear extra layers this winter rather than turning their heating on2 and more than five million are planning to delay turning on their heating for as long as possible. Two thirds (62 per cent) of those delaying turning their heating on admit this is a bid to save money, and nearly one in five (18 per cent) admitting outright it is because they can't afford to pay their fuel bills.
Scott Byrom, utilities manager at moneysupermarket.com said: "It seems the boiler battle is on, with Brits all over the country arguing about turning the heating on this year. There is no doubt many of us will be worried about an expensive energy bill landing on the doormat in January; with the Christmas period proving costly for most, Brits will be looking to nurse their finances in the New Year and being hit with an unexpectedly high fuel bill at this time will be a financial strain.
"Energy consumption is at its highest over the winter months, on average we use around 40 per cent of our annual fuel consumption between November and January3. Taking action to combat the cost of fuel bills will be a savvy move for many bill payers this year but its concerning more than 750,000 households will not be turning on their heating this winter, choosing instead to put a jumper on as compensation, especially where the elderly and children are concerned."
"I advise customers looking to make savings on their energy bills, to swap to a monthly direct debit scheme and manage their account online. While we have seen prices falling over recent months, bills will still be high for anyone not on a provider's online deal - those on standard tariffs who pay their bills quarterly for example, will be paying over the odds as providers haven't made cuts to these types of tariffs. By shopping around and finding the best deal for your area you could save yourself on average £2614 a year as well as keeping those New Year financial headaches to a minimum."
moneysupermarket.com's top tips to minimise your gas and electricity bills:
- Turn your thermostat down - now. By reducing your room temperature by just 1°C you could save an astonishing 10% on your annual heating bills.
- Switch off and save. Don't leave electrical appliances on standby as it still uses power. Make it a nightly ritual to ensure all lights and appliances are off and watch those savings mount. For example, leaving your computer on 'sleep' means it is still using 75% of its energy.
- Almost 25% of heat is lost via poorly insulated roofs. Invest in insulation - it is cheap and effective. What is more, many free grants are available from local councils for pensioners and those on low incomes.
- Heating the whole house is justifiable for a large family but for working couples and singles, it is more cost-effective to heat only the rooms you use most. Invest in a low energy heater.
- In the winter months, it pays to close all your curtains as soon as dusk sets - they keep the heat in and are one of the simplest and easiest ways of cutting back on heating bills.
- Change to energy saving light bulbs. You can save up to £40 over the lifetime of the bulb.
- Invest in a microwave oven. They are fast and efficient particularly for small families and singles and use a fraction of the energy of a conventional gas or electric cooker.
- Watch out for draughts around doors (keyholes, letter boxes, gaps in doors and windows). Heat escaping your home is money wasted, so get yourself kitted out. Draught excluder packs are available from most DIY stores and for as little as £60. It is estimated that good draught exclusion around an average terrace can save as much as £25 a year, so it will soon pay for itself.
- Double-glazing is pricey to install but will make a difference to bills over time. Heat loss through windows is cut by a whopping 50% - saving around £100 a year on bills.
- Don't fill your kettle each time you go to make a coffee or cup of tea - only use the water you need. It will be quicker to boil and use less energy. It's a simple tip but makes a difference.
- Take showers and not baths. While a hot bubble bath may feel like a treat, the cost of heating the water soon mounts up. A shower uses around a third of the water of a bath.
- If you use a washing machine turn the temperature down to 30°C. Today's washing powders are so efficient they do not need to be used at high temperatures. Even better, get into the habit of hand-washing and just using your machine's spin function. It saves both time and money.
-Ends-
1Opinium Research carried out an online poll of 2,010 British Adults between 9th and 12th October 2009. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.
2According to latest stats from The DCLG there were 25,080,000 households in Great Britain in 2006
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table401.xls
According to research from moneysupermarket.com three per cent of those surveyed said they will be putting a jumper on instead of turning their heating on this winter. Therefore, three per cent of 25,080,000 is 752,400 households of over three quarters of a million.
3Quarterly energy consumption break down based on typical annual household consumption
|
Quarter |
Electricity (%) |
Gas (%) |
Combined (%) |
|
13 August 2007 - 12 November 2007 |
21.3 |
14.2 |
17.75 |
|
13 November 2007 - 15 February 2008 |
32.9 |
45.9 |
39.4 |
|
16 February 2008 - 16 May 2008 |
25.1 |
29.6 |
27.35 |
|
17 May 2008 - 17 November 2008 |
20.7 |
10.3 |
15.5 |
4 Standard, fixed and online / best energy tariffs offered by the Big Six providers:
|
Provider |
Average Standard Tariff |
Average Online/Best Tariff |
Average Fixed Tariff |
|
British Gas |
£1,202.43 |
£993.56
WebSaver 4 |
£1,127.43
Price Promise June 2010 |
|
EDF Energy |
£1,189.40 |
£982.49
Online V5 |
£1,086.22
Annual Fix V4 |
|
E.ON |
£1,194.67 |
£961.77
Fix Online V3 |
£961.77
Fix Online V3 |
|
npower |
£1,255.78 |
£994.15
Go Fix V1 |
£994.15
Go Fix V1 |
|
Scottish Power |
£1,361.95 |
£952.36
Online Energy Saver 7 |
£1,112.90
PriceSure Energy |
|
Scottish & Southern |
£1,192.24 |
£1,009.52
Go Direct |
N/A |
|
First Utility |
N/A |
£953.83
iSave |
N/A |
|
OVO Energy |
N/A |
£920.68
New Energy |
£920.68
New Energy |
|
Average |
£1,232.75 |
£971.05 |
£1,033.86 |
Sourced by
www.moneysupermarket.com 30.10.2009
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