Practical ways to cut your energy bills without sacrificing comfort. From quick wins to long-term investments.
Turn thermostat down 1°C
~£90/yr
Switch off standby appliances
~£65/yr
Swap to LED bulbs
~£40/yr
Wash clothes at 30°C
~£30/yr
Draught-proof windows & doors
~£45/yr
Only boil the water you need
~£15/yr
Save up to £300/year
This alone can save around £80–£100 per year without noticeably affecting comfort.
Programme your heating to come on 30 minutes before you need it and off 30 minutes before you leave or go to bed.
Trapped air stops radiators heating properly. Bleeding them is free and takes minutes.
Control the temperature room by room — no need to heat rooms you're not using.
Set your boiler flow temperature to 60°C and your cylinder thermostat to no higher than 60°C.
Save up to £500/year
If your loft has less than 100mm of insulation, topping up could save £250+ per year.
Around a third of heat is lost through uninsulated walls. Check if your home is eligible for free insulation.
Use draught excluders and seal gaps around windows. DIY draught-proofing costs under £30.
A British Standard jacket (80mm thick) costs around £15 and saves £35–£45/year.
Lined curtains reduce heat loss through windows, especially single-glazed ones.
Save up to £150/year
LEDs use 90% less energy than old incandescent bulbs. Replacing all bulbs can save £40/year.
UK households waste an average of £65/year powering appliances on standby.
Modern detergents work just as well at lower temperatures, saving around £30/year.
Overfilling the kettle wastes energy. Boiling only what you need saves £15/year.
Eco cycles use less water and energy despite running longer.
Save up to £50/year
Smart meters show your usage in real time. Studies show they help reduce consumption by 3–5%.
Keep the display somewhere visible so you can spot when energy use spikes.
Aim to keep your daily spend below a target — the IHD makes this easy to track.
Some providers offer detailed usage data to help you identify wasteful patterns.
Long-term savings
Typical UK homes can save £300–£500/year with solar. The Smart Export Guarantee pays for excess energy you export.
Air source heat pumps are 3x more efficient than gas boilers. Government grants of £7,500 are available via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Pair with solar or time-of-use tariffs to store cheap/free electricity for peak hours.
Many green tariffs are competitively priced. Check our comparison table for options.
We've independently picked the energy-saving devices that actually move the needle — from smart thermostats to standby-killing plugs — with typical savings for each.