Since October, the energy price cap for households using gas and electricity has gone up by around 10%, which makes it the perfect time to look for ways to cut energy use and keep your bills down.

Small changes can make a big impact on our environment and save on your energy bills. There are a variety of low-cost useful tips to save your pennies, energy and the environment during the cold winter months.

• Get a smart meter. It will help you make smarter choices about your energy usage around your home. Contact your energy supplier to get your smart meter today and start saving.
• Switch appliances off and save up to £70 a year. Appliances on standby can still use 10% of their energy, so cut back and save by switching off at the socket.
• Have showers instead of baths. On average, showers use around half of the water of baths. Typical shower heads pump out around 6 to 9 litres of water per minute, so cutting down your shower time by just 1 minute can make a big impact by saving both water and energy.
• Wash clothes at cooler temperatures. Washing clothes at 30°C rather than 40°C can cut electrical demand by up to 40%. Modern clothing detergents and machines are designed to clean effectively at lower temperatures, using less water and energy.
• Hang your washing out to dry when you can. Using your tumble dryer less could save you £70 a year.
• Only boil what you need. A kettle uses about 6% of all the electricity supplied to the home. Make sure you are only boiling the water you need and not wasting energy heating unnecessary water.
• Keep the fridge door shut. Avoid opening your fridge or freezer too often and don’t leave it open unnecessarily. Aside from the lights switching on each time the door is opened, fridges also need to cool down again, using more energy in the process. Give your fridge and freezer space, allowing space inside the appliance lets cold air circulate and allowing air around the rear pipes of the appliance helps to save electricity.
• Turning down the heat. Reducing the heat in your home by just 1°C can save 10% on your energy bill. Controlling your radiators’ thermostatic valves helps to keep your home evenly heated and easily controlled based on your needs.
• Only heat your home when you need to. Set a timer for your heating so it’s only on when needed, keeping you warm and not an empty house. If away for extended periods of time, turn down your thermostat to ensure your pipes don’t freeze while not wasting energy or money to heat an empty home.
• Check your boiler. 99% of gas boilers are running below their A-rated efficiency. By reducing the flow temperature of a combi boiler, you can cut your bills by 6 to 8%, and if you reduce it to 60°C you can save up to £100 a year. Controlling your boiler’s heating temperature dial could save as much as 8% of your gas heating consumption.
• Use the dishwasher. On average dishwashers use less water than hand washing. Make sure your dishwasher is full before putting the wash on.

There are plenty more energy saving tips at on the Council’s Energy saver webpage.

Lead Member for Public Health, Climate Change and Environment, Councillor Graham Oakes said:

Now more than ever we need to watch our energy use. Making our lifestyles and homes more sustainable benefits both the environment and our pennies. Just by making small differences you can see a big change.

If you want to make a big difference, you can retrofit your home by making substantial changes to make it more energy efficient, such as adding insulation, air pumps and solar panels.

Retrofitting typically involves improving your home to increase its energy efficiency through a number of measures. It will minimise your energy usage, cut your carbon footprint and can save money on your bills in the long term, while keeping your home warm.

For retrofitting support and grants visit the Council’s Retrofit and energy efficiency webpage.