Cheaper energy tariffs are tough to find right now, with very few deals cheaper than the current price cap, making it difficult to save money by switching energy provider. This means the main way to save on your bills during the current energy crisis is to use less energy.
Saving energy is also a great way to help the environment. The more energy you save, the less pollution is released by power plants, reducing global warming and improving air quality. You can find out more about saving energy and helping the environment on our Energy Green Advice page.
We have researched the latest tips for saving energy at home and put them into a quick list to save you time as well as energy.
1. Understand your energy usage
To reduce the amount of energy you are using, it is useful to first understand what you are using energy on. Getting a smart meter is a great way to understand your energy usage better, while also ensuring your energy provider is only billing you for the energy that you have used.
2. Insulate and draught-proof your home
Trapping heat inside your home will mean you’ll need less energy to keep it warm.
Draughts may come through gaps under your doors or floorboards. Using rugs and draught excluders will keep cold draughts out and help to trap more heat in. Closing your curtains as soon as the sun goes down will prevent heat escaping through your windows. Properly draught proofing your home could save you £45* a year on your energy bills.
If you're a shared owner, you can carry out home improvements with our permission. This could include adding additional insulation to your home. Find out more about improving the energy performance of your home on our Energy Green Advice page.
3. Choose energy efficient appliances that are the right size for your home
When buying new appliances for your home, they will come with an energy efficiency rating from A to G (or sometimes A+++ to G) with A or A+++ being the best. Choosing an energy efficient appliance means that the running costs will be lower, saving you money on your energy bill each month. Bigger appliances will usually use more energy than smaller appliances, so choosing the appliance that’s the right size for your home and family could also save you money on your energy bills.
For more information on choosing energy appliances for your home, visit our Energy Advice: Appliance Guides page.
4. Wash clothes less often, at 30 degrees
You can save £28* a year on your energy bills by only using your washing machine once a week and washing at 30 degrees instead of a higher temperature. Many items of clothing, such as jeans and jumpers, do not need to be washed regularly. By washing fewer items of clothing, you will be able to fit more in your washing machine, making the most of the energy used.
5. Air dry clothes
Drying your clothes outside on a washing line, or inside on drying racks, instead of using a tumble dryer could save you £60* a year on your energy bills.
If you’re drying clothes inside, you will need to take extra precautions to prevent damp and mould within your home. Dry your clothes in a ventilated space, by opening a window or turning on an extractor fan. Extractor fans are very cheap to run and will prevent your home from becoming damp by removing excess moisture from the air. Heating your home will also help to prevent damp and mould.
6. Change your cooking habits
Instead of cooking in your oven, try using your microwave; microwaves cook food much faster than ovens do, meaning you will use less energy. Slow cookers are another great way to cook using less energy.
7. Save water in the shower
According to the energy saving trust, around 12% of a typical gas heated household’s energy bill is from heating the water for showers, baths and hot water from the tap. Using less hot water is therefore a great way to save energy.
Keeping your shower time to four minutes could save a typical household £70* a year on their energy bills. If you swap one bath a week for a four-minute shower, this could also save you £12* a year on your energy bills.
Fitting a low flow shower head to your shower will reduce the amount of water you use during your shower, saving you energy and money. A family of four could save £55* off their gas bills and £45* off their water bills (if they have a water meter) each year by replacing their inefficient shower head with a water efficient one. That’s a total saving of around £100* a year.
8. Don’t leave your appliances on standby
You can save around £55* a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode.
9. Use LED lightbulbs and always turn them off when not in use
Turning off the lights in a room when you’re not in there can save you £20* a year on your energy bills. If you switch to LED bulbs, you could save even more money as LED bulbs are more energy efficient than other lightbulbs. By switching to LED bulbs, you could save an additional £4-£13* per bulb per year.
10. Turn your heating down (but not too much)
When you are worried about the cost of energy, the first thing you might think to do is to stop heating your home. If your home is above 18°C to 21°C, then turning down the heat is a good way to save money.
However, it is important that you heat your home enough that it remains a safe and healthy temperature. Keeping the temperature of your home between 18°C and 21°C (between 16°C and 20°C for baby's rooms) is important for you and your family's health and wellbeing.
If you want to save money whilst heating your home, you can adjust the output/control dial on your radiators to heat the rooms that you are spending time in more than rooms which are empty. Ensuring your home is insulated and draught-proofed will mean you need less energy to keep it warm.
You may already be doing everything on this list but are still struggling with your bills. If so, there is support available for you. Speaking to a professional energy advisor may help you identify new ways to manage your bills. You may also be eligible for financial support. Our dedicated Energy Advice page has links to external energy advice agencies in your area and guidance on the financial support available to you.
If increasing energy bills are affecting your ability to keep up with your rent payments, our Tenancy Sustainment team are here to support you. Your Income Officer is also here to help you manage your rent payments if you are struggling; you can find your income officer using the Find my Income Officer tool on our website.
*All estimates of money that you could save on your energy bills were taken from the energy saving trust’s website, calculated using the new price cap, as of April 2022.
The Centre for Sustainable Energy have also shared this list of potential money you could save by saving energy.