UK energy bills: what are the best ways to save this winter?

theguardian.com:

The prospect of huge home energy bills this winter means Britons are desperately casting around for ways to reduce how much gas and electricity they use. Here are some of the simplest ideas, from hooded blankets to chimney balloons, that could help keep a lid on costs.

If you turn down your main thermostat just one degree it will cut your heating bills straight away, and you may not feel any difference. Experts suggest waiting for a day and seeing how it feels. If you’re still feeling OK, turn it down another degree. Most families are happy with a setting somewhere between 18C and 21C but it may need to be warmer if there are elderly or infirm people living in the property. The Simple Energy Advice website says a one-degree reduction can slash your heating bill by 10%.

When the energy companies advised customers to cuddle their pets it rightly caused a furore but there are obvious steps you can take to keep warm, such as wearing a thicker jumper or investing in a cosy layer. The shops are full of this type of clothing, including onesies and hooded blankets, at the moment with prices to suit every budget. If you are working from home the extra layer may help you stick to your conviction about the thermostat temperature.

There’s no point cranking up the heating if that warm air is escaping up the chimney or under the door and there are cheap fixes for this. You can make your own draught-excluders for internal doors using rolled-up towels, or tights filled with old clothes. If there’s a chimney you’re not using, stop the hole with an inflatable chimney balloon, which cost about £20. The Energy Saving Trust (EST) estimates that installing a chimney draught-excluder can knock about £65 a year off your energy bills.

According to