Switch energy supplier or tariff
We can support you to switch energy supplier or tariff through
Money Smart.
Top no-cost tips
Turn your thermostat down by 1°C can save you as much as £60 per year. Also, keeping your heating on constantly on a low heat could potentially save you more money than switching it on and off for big blasts of heat
Turn unnecessary lights and appliances off and don't leave on standy. A typical household could save between £50 and £90 a year just by turning off appliances left on standby
Be careful in the kitchen - You can save over £55 a year just by being careful how you use your kitchen appliances. The following tips can help you reach this saving:
Wash your clothes at 30-40 °C;
Use a bowl to wash up rather than leaving the hot tap running.
Just boil the amount of water in your kettle that you need.
Use the smallest pan and cooker ring possible.
Turn the pressure down on the power shower.
Avoid pre-rinsing the dishes in hot water and just scrape dishes before they go in to the dish washer.
Air-dry your laundry outside rather than tumble drying it.
Save ironing time by taking your clothes out of the dryer before they're completely dry – they'll iron much quicker.
Insulation tips
Draught proofing
DIY draught proofing of windows, doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards could cost between £120 and £290, but could save you between £25 and £50 a year in a draughty home.
Tank insulation
If you already have a hot water tank jacket fitted, check the thickness, it should be at least 75mm thick. Fitting a British Standard jacket will cost around £15 DIY, cut heat loss by over 75% and save you around £25-£30 a year.
Cavity wall insulation
If a home was built after 1920, the chances are that its external walls are made of two layers of brick with a gap or cavity between them. The average installation cost for cavity wall insulation is between £450 and £500 and can save up to £150 a year. The Council may have schemes to help you with the cost
Loft insulation
It is recommended you have at least 270mm (ten inches) of loft insulation. The cost of installing loft insulation is around £300. You could save up to £180 a year if your loft is uninsulated by installing 270mm of insulation. Even if you have some insulation, by topping up from 100mm to 270mm could save around £25 a year. The Council may have schemes to help you with the cost
Solid wall insulation
If your home was built before 1920, its external walls are probably solid rather than cavity walls. The cost of installing internal and/or external wall insulation is more expensive than cavity wall but typical savings are much higher.
Heating tips
Heating controls
Whatever the age of your boiler, the right controls will let you set the times, temperature and the rooms where you want your heating. Here are the average savings you could make in a typical three-bedroom semi-detached home, heated by gas:
Replace your boiler
Boilers account for around 55% of what you spend in a year on energy bills. Replacing an old gas boiler with an A-rated high-efficiency condensing boiler and improving your heating controls will cost around £2,500 - and could save you as much as £310 a year. The Council may have schemes to help you with the cost
Efficient lighting
Replacing traditional light bulbs with energy savings lightbulbs can save around £50 on energy bills over the lifetime of the bulb. Changing halogen bulbs for Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) can save around £30 on energy bills per year per bulb.
Grant and schemes
Information about the home energy grants and schemes available is on the
Help with home energy improvements page.