How to Reduce your Energy Use

How to Reduce your Energy Use – and Save Money!

At Energy Saving Trust, we know that increasingly high energy bills alongside the cost of living crisis is a concern for many families.

We are working to support households across the UK with impartial advice on energy saving actions, outlining longer term investments to increase energy efficiency and protect homes against future price rises. There is also information on where to go for financial support to help keep you warm for less.

We know that many people will have already made changes and adapted to cut back on using energy around the home. Simple, quick energy saving actions are small, but they do add up to reduce energy use and in turn your bills, by several hundred pounds.

Our top ten quick energy saving tips include, keeping to a four-minute shower and swapping a bath a week for a shower, being mindful of how often you use your appliances and remembering to turn your appliances and electronics off standby mode. Turn off lights when you’re not using them or when you leave a room.

Effective insulation of your hot water cylinder is important, even if you have thin spray foam or a loose 25mm jacket, you can benefit from increasing the insulation to a British Standard Jacket 80mm thick. Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to save money on your bills.

As we head into the winter months, we know that you will be mindful of your heating. Try to only heat the rooms you need to a level that is comfortable – for most this is between 18°C and 21°C. If this is just 1 degree lower than you normally set it, you could save more than £100 a year on energy bills.

If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, there is help available wherever you are in the UK. The government announced in May that all households would receive £400 off their bills, with monthly payments over six months from October 2022 to

March 2023. There is also additional support available for households that are particularly vulnerable. If you need help to pay your bills, contact your energy supplier to access any available support.

More information on additional help can be found here – energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-

home/financial-support/financial-support-forhome-energy

If you are looking to future proof your home against ongoing energy price rises, investing in professional draught-proofing and insulation will have a significant impact on energy use. Stopping draughts is one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy and money in your home and involves blocking gaps that let cold air out around windows, doors, floors and skirting boards.

If your home was built after 1930, it will most likely have cavity walls that can be filled with insulation. If it was built before this date and has solid walls, these can be insulated from either the outside or inside. While there is an outgoing cost,

About Energy Saving Trust

Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, low carbon transport and sustainable energy use. We aim to address the climate emergency and deliver the wider benefits of clean energy as the UK transitions to net zero.

We empower householders to make better choices, deliver transformative programmes for governments and support businesses with strategy, research and assurance – enabling everyone to play their part in building a sustainable future.

energysavingtrust.org.uk

the energy bill savings will be high as it will help to reduce around a third of the total heat loss from your home, if previously uninsulated.

A quarter of heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the roof. Most homes have at least some loft insulation, but it is often not enough. Topping up from 120mm to at least the recommended depth of 270mm will help.

Switching to low carbon heating systems, such as a heat pump is an essential part of the transition to address the climate emergency and to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The impact on energy bills if you are installing a heat pump will depend on several factors: including what fuel you are replacing and how much it costs, which type of heat pump you install and its efficiency and the design of your central heating system.

Switching to renewable energy is a long-term commitment and although there will not be dramatic cost savings straight away, consumers can expect to see year-on-year savings as low carbon technology becomes more established. For more information, energysavingtrust.org.uk/

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