Energy saving tips

It's a simple change, but lowering your thermostat by just one degree can reduce your heating bills significantly, potentially saving up to £80 a year.

Considering that heating and hot water account for nearly half of your energy bills, this small adjustment can make a big difference.

Considering a new boiler? You can save energy by upgrading your old boiler to a new A-rated condensing boiler with a programmer, room thermostat, and thermostatic radiator controls.

For a detached house, moving from a G-rated to an A-rated boiler could save around £260 per year - according to a study of boiler efficiency from the Energy Saving Trust.

Set the flow temperature between 60ºC and 70ºC for effective heating in winter, and lower it to 50ºC to 55ºC in milder weather.

Stop your water cylinder from cooling down and re-heating by insulating it with a 'jacket.'

If you already have one, upgrade it if it's not at least 80mm thick.

Bleed your radiators regularly to prevent air being trapped inside.

Trapped air creates cold spots and makes your heating system less efficient - costing you more to heat your home.

If your radiators are making gurgling sounds, taking longer to heat up, or you can feel cold patches near the top - it's time to bleed them.

You should get your boiler serviced every 12 months, and many boiler manufacturers require this to keep your warranty valid.

If you have boiler cover, you can usually get your boiler serviced for free through your policy.

If you don't have boiler cover, we'd recommend comparing boiler cover plans to keep your boiler running well and keep things cheap if anything goes wrong.

If your boiler pressure is too low (under 1.0 bar), it takes more energy to heat your home.

Your boiler manual will tell you the ideal operating pressure and how to re-pressurise your boiler if it's too low.

By simply turning off appliances at the plug, you could save around £40 a year. Smart plugs or timer plugs can help manage this automatically, ensuring you're not wasting electricity on devices that aren't in use.

Smart thermostats can make your heating more efficient by only warming the rooms you are using. They can also be controlled remotely via your phone, which means you can adjust your home's temperature from anywhere.

When it's time to replace old appliances, choosing those with high energy-efficiency ratings is key. For instance, an A+++ rated washing machine can save you money over time when compared to a less efficient model.

Simply washing your clothes at 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees can lead to energy savings.

And if you combine it with cutting down on one wash cycle per week, you could save £22 over the course of a year.

Tumble dryers are very expensive to run. So if you can avoid using one, so much the better.

What's more, if you skip the tumble dryer in the spring and summers and rely on clothes worse and warmer ambient temperatures instead, you can save up to £45 per year.

Instead, use a dehumidifier to dry your clothes faster.

Being aware of your energy consumption is the first step towards making informed changes.

Installing a Smart Meter lets you track your consumption with accurate and real-time information. Learn more about how they work with our guide to Smart Meters.

The Food Standards Agency recommends keeping fridges at 5°C and freezers at -18°C. Anything colder than this is a waste of energy and money.

Most modern fridges and freezers have temperature gauges that you can adjust yourself, but if you have older appliances with a numbered dial, you can buy a fridge thermometer to check and refine your temperature settings.

Double glazing not only reduces your heating bills, it also helps to cut down on noise from outside.

If you replace single glazing with A++ rated double glazing in a semi-detached home, you could save up to £140 annually.

Draught-proofing your home is a cost-effective way to save heat and money, potentially reducing your heating bills by up to £70 a year.

Simple measures like sealing cracks and using plastic linings for windows can make a big difference.

Heat rises, and without proper insulation, it can escape through your roof. While insulating your loft can cost several hundreds of pounds upfront,

It's estimated that adding 270mm of insulation to an uninsulated home can also shave around £340 off your energy bills each year if you live in a detached house.

Cavity wall insulation is a thermal barrier that fills the gap between two brick walls in a house, preventing heat loss.

Not all homes are suitable for cavity wall insulation, especially those with narrow cavities, poor brickwork, or exposure to damp.

Cavity wall insulation costs around £4,600 for a detached house and £2,700 for a semi-detached. But can substantially cut your energy bills over time

Solar panels are devices that capture energy from the sun and convert it into electricity. Also called photovoltaics (PV), they can be installed on a property’s roof or in the garden.

The average domestic solar panel system costs around £7,000, including installation costs, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

A typical solar panel system can save you around 50-70% on your electricity bills.

Plus, you can actually make money from your solar panels. When your panels generate more electricity than your household can use, this excess electricity can be exported to the grid to be used by others.

Under reforms spearheaded by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, this year the Winter Fuel Payment will no longer be paid to all Britons of state-pension age. But you can still get it if:

• You were born before the 23rd of September 1958

• You live in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland

• You're in receipt of certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, Universal Credit, or Income Support.

Not sure if you qualify? Read our writeup on the recent changes to the Winter Fuel Payment.

If you're on a low income or claiming certain benefits, you may qualify for social tariffs from your energy provider.

If you're claiming certain benefits, including Universal Credit, you may qualify for the Cold Weather Payment - an extra payment of cash for each week of cold weather in the winter.

The Warm Home Discount gives vulnerable and low-income households a one-off payment to help with energy bills in the winter.

The Winter Heating Payment (WHP) is available for those in receipt of certain benefits, like income support and pension credits.

The WHP is not based on temperature and is paid regardless of the weather.

Other forms of energy-related social security the Scottish government provide are:

• Child Winter Heating Payments

• Pension Age Winter Heating Payments (replacing the Winter Fuel Payment)

If you're not sure if you qualify, visit the Scottish Government's heating cost help guidance.