The cost of gas and electricity has already soared by 17% this year - and it’s set to climb even higher following fresh price hikes from British Gas. Yet a few simple home improvements could help cut your energy bills by as much as £300. We show you how it’s done
Annual household energy bills have risen from £912 on average in January to £1,127 in June - an
increase of almost 20% - official figures show.
Industry experts say that the latest price rises from the likes of British Gas and nPower
mean that more than 10 million households will struggle to pay their energy bills. Other suppliers
are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.
Price comparison site uSwitch says that in one in two households are planning to cut down on
heating as the cold weather draws in this winter, 54% will become more energy efficient and 4
million (15%) homes will take drastic measures to reduce their energy usage by cooking fewer hot
meals.
Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, says: "With energy bills continuing
to burn a hole in households' dwindling pockets, consumers need to take steps to minimise their
energy usage and reduce the amount they pay. Sourcing the cheapest provider is one means of holding
on to the pennies but adopting more energy efficient measures will also help.”
Switch to a
cheaper energy supplier
Control your costs
One way to control costs is to opt for a capped energy deal where the maximum price you’ll be
charged will be fixed. However price increases mean competitive capped deals are getting harder to
find.
The Energy Saving Trust offers advice about saving energy around the home as well as
providing information about grants on offer to make your home more energy efficient.
We’ve looked at six of the best energy-saving improvements.
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