01 Switch off standby
You can save around £45 in GB and £70 in NI annually just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode.
Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. Standby savers allow you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go to save electricity.
Check the instructions for any appliances you aren’t sure about. Some satellite and digital TV recorders may need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of any programmes you want to record.
Find out which appliances use the most energy in your home.
02 Draught-proof windows and doors
Unless your home is new, you’ll lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney.
Professional draught-proofing of windows, doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can save around £80 in GB and £100 in NI on annual energy bills. Getting professional help can cost around £250, but DIY draught proofing can be much cheaper.
Find out more about reducing home heat loss.
03 Turn off lights
Turn your lights off when you’re not using them or when you leave a room. This will save you around £7 in GB and £30 in NI on your annual energy bills.
Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs could help you save even more.
04 Careful with your washing
You can save around £24 in GB and £36 in NI a year on your energy bill by making small changes in how you use your washing machine:
• Use your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures.
• Reduce your washing machine use by one run per week for a year.
05 Avoid the tumble dryer
Avoid using a tumble dryer for your clothes. Drying clothes on racks inside where possible or outside in warmer weather can save you £50 in GB and £75 in NI a year.
06 Spend less time in the shower
Keeping your shower time to just 4 minutes could save a typical household £55 in GB and £70 in NI a year on their energy bills.
07 Swap your bath for a shower
Some of us might enjoy a long soak in the bath. But swapping just one bath a week with a 4-minute shower could save you £9 in GB and £15 in NI a year on your energy bills.
Find out how saving water at home can help your wallet and the environment.
08 Be savvy in the kitchen
Kettles are one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. But many of us will admit that we occasionally boil the kettle with more water than we’re actually going to use.
Avoid overfilling the kettle and you can save yourself £10 in GB and £14 in NI a year on your electricity bill.
You could also consider fitting an aerator onto your existing kitchen tap. This will help reduce the amount of water coming out without affecting how it washes or rinses. An aerator is a small gadget with tiny holes which attaches to the spout of your tap. It’s cheap and easy to install and could save you £19 in GB and £20 in NI a year.
09 Fill your dishwasher
Only run your dishwasher when it’s to full reduce the amount of water you use. Reducing your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year could save you £12 in GB and £18 in NI.
10 Top up the insulation
Effective insulation of your hot water cylinder is important. 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). Doing this will help you save £40 in GB and £45 in NI a year.
Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to save money on your bills.
Source: Quick tips to save energy at home - Energy Saving Trust, accessed 19/5/24
The calculations here were accurate at 30/4/24, using a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house on a standard tariff paying by direct debit in England, Scotland and Wales. You can download a PDF version of this article if you wish.