Nearly half of Brits rationing energy this winter

According to the recent study, more than half (53%) of households feel the cost of living has become worse for them over the past 12 months, with nearly a third (31%) saying they have needed to make cutbacks and sacrifices¹.

The study comes as the Ofgem Energy Price Cap is due to rise again to £1,758 from January, which is 50% higher than when the cap was first introduced in 2019.

The research also found that 45% of households delayed putting their heating on this winter compared to when they started using it last year.

One in 10 (11%) said they have argued with family members about how much heating they use, with 6% saying they felt someone in their household had become ill due to their home not being properly heated.

With Christmas just weeks away, the cost-of-living is forcing many to scale back their festive plans, with a quarter (25%) saying it had impacted their excitement and one in 10 (10%) admitting they are ‘dreading Christmas’ due to financial worries.

Of the 2,000 people questioned, nearly three quarters (71%) said they were taking cost-saving measures this festive season.

Just over one in 10 (13%) said they wouldn’t be exchanging gifts this year, and more than one in 10 (12%) are cutting back or skipping Christmas lights due to energy costs.

However, it’s food and drink where Brits are making the biggest cutbacks. Just under a third (29%) said they would be buying less food and drinks for this year, while 7% would be skipping a family gathering altogether.

In addition, more than half (55%) said they have switched to cheaper food brands or supermarkets to help make their money go further.

How Brits are saving this festive season

1. Buying less food/drink this year (29%)

2. Skipping presents this year (13%)

3. Reducing the number of Christmas lights due to energy costs (7%)

4. Not having a family gathering for Christmas (7%)

5. Having no Christmas lights whatsoever due to energy costs (5%)

6. Having a non-traditional Christmas meal to try to reduce costs (5%)

7. Cooking Christmas dinner in an air fryer to try to reduce energy costs (4%)

8. Asking friends/family to contribute towards hosting costs (4%)

9. Asking for receipts to return gifts after Christmas (2%)

Laura Hinton
Commercial Manager

Cut costs instead of going cold turkey this Christmas

With energy bills and everyday costs, such as food, continuing to rise, many households are feeling the pressure this festive season.

Our research shows that people are managing how much energy they use by being careful with their heating, using more energy efficient appliances for cooking and having fewer festive lights.

The good news is there are steps you can take to help with energy costs. If you’re on a standard variable or price-capped tariff, it’s worth checking whether a fixed deal could save you money and give you peace of mind against future price rises.

Switching is quick and easy to do online – all you need is your address and email – and some customers could save up to £395, as well as protecting themselves from further increases.²

To help customers understand how much energy their appliances use this Christmas, MoneySuperMarket has launched a new energy usage calculator.

Switching energy is quick and easy to do - and with MoneySuperMarket’s SuperSaveClub, customers who switch to a qualifying deal will also receive a £10 reward³.

<sup>Sources
1. YouGov survey of 2,000 people from 28/11/25 to 1/12/25
2. 50% of customers that switched using MoneySuperMarket saved £395. Oct 2025, Exc NI, CI, IOM
3. Terms and conditions apply</sup>