Cold Weather: Tips On How To Save Money on Your Energy Costs
- The Penny Pincher Team
- Jan 14
- 13 min read
The Cold Weather Is Here! Learn how to lower your energy bills & find out if you qualify for a cold-weather payment.
We've been fortunate recently with the weather; who would expect such mild weather through Autumn, even into Christmas!? Sadly, we didn't get a white Christmas in 2025, just a bit of frost down here in Hampshire, but that could all change in 2026!
From 1st January 2026, the Ofgem energy price cap for a typical dual-fuel household in England, Scotland, and Wales paying by Direct Debit rose slightly to £1,758 a year. That is a 0.2% increase, equal to around £3 a year, or roughly 28p a month, compared with the October to December 2025 cap. Many of us now use a smart meter (learn about what are smart meters ) to track our energy usage, and this is especially important during colder months, as this is when the average household typically sees a significant increase in its energy bills. Hence, a smart meter helps you keep track of your spending and usage. However, there are ways to reduce your spending, and we have a selection of our favourite tips for conserving energy this winter. Some of these are obvious, and others may not have occurred to you, but they will likely save us some money. Here are some of my favourite energy-saving tips, including small changes that can make a difference.
I know it's obvious, but I will say it anyway: if you leave a room and nobody is there, turn off the lights! See, I told you it was obvious, but if your house is anything like mine, you may well find yourself going upstairs to see lights flickering like the Las Vegas Strip! Ensure everybody knows that every light has a cost; if you turn it off, the cost diminishes. Therefore, the obvious thing to do is to ensure they're off when not needed. Switching a light off for just a few seconds will save more energy than it takes to start it back up!
Lightbulbs - If you are still using traditional incandescent light bulbs, now is a perfect time to upgrade to more energy-efficient options, such as LEDs. These light bulbs use a dramatically lower amount of energy, which you'll notice on your energy bills. It might cost you a few quid to get the bulbs, but they are a great way to increase your home's energy efficiency and will soon start to reduce your bills.
If you are using outside lights, consider switching to solar lights, which will be free to run. My parents use garden solar lights in their bathroom, and they charge during the day by leaving them next to the bathroom window in direct sunlight. Then, at night, the sensor turns the lights on when they enter and off again when they leave, so they don't have to pay to light up the bathroom!
Turn down the hot water and heating temperature on your boiler; even a slight reduction of a few degrees can make a noticeable difference. Turning down your central thermostat by 1 degree could save around 10% on your energy bill. Set a timer to limit your shower time; ideally, it should be less than 4 minutes. A high-volume power shower can use more water in less than five minutes than running a bath, so fit an eco shower head. Your shower will still feel powerful, but it'll reduce your hot water use.
You could save around £70 a year on gas bills and £115 on water bills by simply using these eco-friendly shower heads!
If you have dripping taps, get them fixed or replaced. Just one leaking tap can waste thousands of litres of water a year, and if it's the hot tap, it can force your combi boiler to continually heat the water as it detects usage, dramatically increasing your energy consumption.
South East Water customers can claim several water-saving devices for free. You can claim free showerheads, plugs, shower and teeth timers, flow regulators, and more. Eligible customers can claim the free products here.
Are you washing up by hand? If so, use a washing-up bowl rather than leaving the hot water running. Your boiler uses a considerable amount of energy to keep you supplied with hot water, so reduce this as much as possible by using your washing-up bowl. You'll then use less water than if you ran the tap constantly.
Are you heating every room in your house? If so, do you really need to? If you have a spare bedroom or any other unused space, consider turning off the radiator in that room. Heating unoccupied areas can lead to unnecessary energy costs on your bill. By selectively operating your radiators, you can significantly reduce heating costs and improve overall energy efficiency. Additionally, upgrading to energy-efficient vinyl windows can further enhance your home's insulation, keeping warm air in during winter and reducing your heating system's workload.
If you have water radiators, bleed them every few months. This lets air escape from the radiator, and the space is then replaced with water, which, when heated, increases the room's heating efficiency. You could also invest in thermostatic radiator valves, which allow you to program your individual radiators to specific temperatures around the house and this means you can make particular rooms you use a lot warmer than rooms that you aren't using as much, so you're spreading your energy costs around the house and not paying to heat rooms to a higher temperature, that you are actually using.
You should consider using a Smart Home system or a smart thermostat, such as Hive or Nest, which allows you to control your heating via an app or website. I use Hive (Use this link for 15% off the equipment), which lets me keep an eye on the house's temperature and turn the heating on or off, as needed, from anywhere in the world. Using the app easily allows me to put our heating on a timer, so it's only on when we are there and not when we're out and about; therefore, I'm not paying to heat an empty house, and those energy savings can add up (the cat can look after itself, after all, it does have fur!)
If you feel cold, instead of instinctively heading for the thermostat to turn it up, put on some additional clothing first. It costs nothing to add an extra jumper or another pair of socks, but it does cost money to heat your house. Consider using a blanket, electric blanket, or duvet when sitting on the sofa watching TV; this will keep you warm and cosy, and won't cost you a penny apart from the electric blanket. However, these are very energy-efficient and do a great job of warming you up.
Regarding turning up your thermostat, increasing the temperature won't affect how quickly your home will warm up! The water-heating system will only work at the same speed, no matter how high you turn the dial, so don't adjust that dial; you're wasting your time and money! Consider using space heaters or fans for a quick warm-up if you need immediate warm air. It may be worse for your electric bill, but in some situations, such as older homes or those with poor insulation, using a device like this to heat just one room can be more convenient. Remember to close the doors!
Ensure to use draught excluders around window frames and doors if you notice cool air coming in from outside. The letterbox is often a problem area. Make sure you close doors around the house to keep the heat and cold where you want them, and tuck your curtains behind the radiator to keep the heat from the radiator radiating into the room, not the window. Use draught-proofing foam strips to keep heat in around loft hatches; I know my loft hatch leaks cold air from the roof, so that's high on my priority list to sort out.
For many homes, replacing a simple loft hatch with a purpose-built roof access solution can substantially reduce draughts, improve thermal performance, and make maintenance safer and easier. Look for insulated, weather-sealed models that are designed to fit your roof build and provide secure rooftop entry without compromising the loft's insulation. For comparison and specification details, see roof hatch design options, which outline insulation ratings, seals and mounting styles to help you choose the right solution. A correctly specified hatch often reduces heat loss and eliminates a common source of cold-air ingress. If you don't use your fireplace, block the chimney with an inflatable pillow or fit a cap over the chimney pot to prevent cold air from entering and lowering your home's temperature. Proper insulation will help your energy bill by reducing heat loss. Attic insulation will make a big difference, but the more you do, the more expensive it is. Of course, the savings on your heating bills and your lower energy usage may make this more cost-effective than you think over time.
If you or someone you live with is receiving benefits, talk to your energy supplier to see what help is available through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). Under the ECO scheme, available in England, Scotland and Wales, energy suppliers must install energy efficiency measures in the homes of those who need them most. You may get help with the cost of: * insulation work, for example, loft insulation or cavity wall insulation. * replacing or repairing your boiler - or other upgrades to your heating. You might be eligible for help if you live in private housing and get one of the following benefits:
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit
Pension Guarantee Credit
Pension Savings Credit
Income Support
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Child Benefit
Housing Benefit
If you own your house, it must have an energy efficiency rating of D, E, F or G to be eligible.
If you rent from a private landlord, the house must have an energy efficiency rating of E, F or G to be eligible. You must have the owner’s permission to do the work.
Ensure your washing machine is full and you're not just washing a few items. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature; washing your laundry at 30ºC (rather than 40ºC) can cut costs by up to 38%, according to recent Which? research.
When it comes to clothes dryers, we all know they cost a fortune to run, and needless to say, if you don't have to use them, don't! That said, I have been using mine over the winter, purely down to me living in a really old house that's always cold, and so trying to dry the clothes on a close horse doesn't really work; they stay damp and don't smell good, so instead I'll put the clothes on an extra spin cycle on the washing machine, which means they tend to come out drier, and so take up less time in the tumble dryer. If you need to replace any of your appliances, consider purchasing more energy-efficient models, as this can help lower your energy bills. These appliances may be more expensive to buy initially, but the overall savings will add up, and you'll find they work out cheaper in the long run than the cheaper appliances you could buy but have worse energy ratings and, therefore, cost more to run.
Cheap dryers are notoriously expensive to run, so when buying a tumble dryer, if you have the opportunity to pay a little more for a better-rated machine, the initial extra cost will likely be cost-effective, as you will use less energy. This goes for all household appliances: get the most energy-efficient ones you can afford, and it will make a difference. I've just upgraded my washing machine from a D-rated appliance to an A-rated, and just a few weeks in, we're already seeing a dramatic decrease in the energy we are using, plus as the washing machine drum is bigger, we are using it less, as we can get more in the machine, and we are using less water and the efficiency of the programmes the machine offers, means we can wash at a lower temperature, with no effect on the cleanliness of the clothes, so a win all round! Who knew clothes washers could make such a difference?
If you do need to use the tumble dryer, consider using it for only 50% of the drying time. You could use the tumble dryer for the first half of the drying process, then remove the clothes and finish drying them another way; this will reduce the amount of money you spend.
If your dishwasher has an eco-mode, use it; it consumes less energy. Also, ensure you only run the dishwasher with a full load before starting it. Don't be put off by a longer cycle time; that doesn't always mean it costs more to run. Most eco modes have longer cycles. Avoid using the half-load program on your dishwasher or washing machine; it's much better to wait and then do a full load, as this will save you money in the long run. You'll be doing fewer washes, which use less water and, of course, less electricity.
Turn off your TV and equipment at the plug when not in use. Keeping something on standby mode can be expensive and wastes energy! This includes any DVD player, console, soundbar or similar device; they are power-hungry!
You can also save money in the kitchen by measuring the water you put into a kettle. I think we're all guilty of just turning on the tap and filling up the kettle to boil when, in fact, we are probably adding far more water than we are actually going to use, so if you're making a cup of tea, measure out one cup of water and put that into the kettle, not only will it save electricity and save water, it will also boil faster as well! It can cost up to a pound a day to boil water for your cup of tea, depending on how much you drink, so maybe make use of a thermos, boil a kettle of water and fill the thermos with it, then use this water to make your brew, as this means you're only heating the water once, and the thermos will keep the water hot for ages.
When it comes to cooking, gas is actually cheaper than electricity. Although rising gas prices are a threat from suppliers, this may change. For now, gas can be three times cheaper than electricity, so try to use gas appliances, such as your hob for cooking, to save overall.
It's worth using a slow cooker, air fryer or rice cooker where possible, as it's dramatically cheaper to run (up to 90% more affordable), plus you have the bonus that using slow cookers is a great way to cook more inexpensive cuts of meat, which will save you money by not spending as much at the supermarket! Many supermarkets are now adding air fryer instructions to their own brand products, making it even easier to use your air fryer for everyday cooking.
Invest in a traditional vegetable steamer, not the electric ones. That way, you can cook your veggies using just one pan and, more importantly, one gas burner, which will most certainly save you money.
Once you've used your oven to cook something, as long as health and safety allow it (no kids running around), leave the oven door open. The heat from the oven will help warm the house, so you are not wasting all the hot air you have paid for!
Most recipes will instruct you to preheat your oven, but this is only necessary when baking cakes or pastries. Preheating your oven uses energy for nothing, so there is no reason you can't put food into a cold oven and let it warm up as the oven heats. It may actually cook faster to use a preheated oven, but it will most certainly not be cheaper.
I hadn't thought of this, but it makes perfect sense: always use the lid on a saucepan! It speeds up the heating/boiling process, meaning you're not wasting energy heating something for an excessive amount of time.
If you are only cooking a small item in the oven, consider adding another item at the same time. Jacket potatoes are an excellent option. You can cook them today and then reheat them for dinner tomorrow, saving an entire cooking cycle's worth of energy. Plus, it saves you time for tomorrow night's dinner and reduces your food costs!
Limit the time the freezer or refrigerator door is open. The longer it's open, the warmer the appliance will become, and more energy will be needed to bring it back to the correct temperature! For similar reasons, ensure that you cool anything before placing it in the fridge or freezer. Adding warm items to these devices increases the unit's temperature and requires it to work harder to cool down, resulting in higher electricity use.
Ask yourself if you really need to iron those clothes! I'm sure we're all looking for an excuse not to iron our clothes, but actually, it's much more cost-effective not to iron unless you absolutely have to.
Check whether you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount. This could save you £150 a year on your energy bills; you can check online to see if you qualify. Around 2.8 million people, including some pensioners and those on a low income who receive certain benefits, will qualify for the discount. Qualifying benefits include: * Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) * Housing Benefit * Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) * Income Support * "Savings Credit" is part of Pension Credit * Universal Credit
You qualify for the discount if all of the following apply on 24th August 2025:
Your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill
You or your partner is getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)
This is known as being in the ‘core group 1’ in England and Wales. In Scotland, it is the ‘core group’.
If you do not get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you may still be eligible if you’re:
on a low income in Scotland Contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you do not get a letter by early January 2026 and you think you’re eligible. You must contact them before 28th February 2026.
The money is not paid to you; it’s a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between early October 2026 and 31st March 2027. If you have a traditional prepayment meter, you should receive a top-up voucher. Smart prepayment meter customers will see the discount automatically added to their account.
Cold Weather Payments
You may get Cold Weather Payments if you get certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.
You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0 °C or below for 7 consecutive days.
You’ll get £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between November 1st, 2025, and March 31st, 2026.
Find out if the weather in your area means you may receive a payment.
The payments do not affect your other benefits. Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments.
It all helps!
These tips are largely common sense; none of them will have a significant impact on your energy bills individually, but implementing more of these tips will add up over time and help you save some extra money. There are some things you can't control, such as the standing charge for your gas/electricity, but you can control your usage, and that's the key. You need to be more aware of how you are spending your energy costs and do everything you can to reduce them.
