TWO in five British households are missing out on saving around £500 a year on their energy bills – by failing to take simple actions like turning their hot water temperature down.
Reducing heating by a single degree and switching to more efficient cooking appliances can save consumers £229 and £202 a year respectively.
While lowering the heat of hot water to 50 degrees centigrade can reduce costs by £115.
But a study of 5,000 adults found 40 per cent have never taken these measures.
These tips sit alongside 12 more as part of energy company Utilita’s 15-point checklist, which is being taught in sessions across the UK to help Brits understand their energy use better.
The ‘Bill Buster’ sessions will be delivered by hundreds of energy efficiency experts, online or at one of the company’s High Street Energy Hubs.
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The energy-saving checklist been through rigorous testing, and underwent a 5,000 person study, which revealed the tips that would enable most households to save hundreds, if not thousands on their annual energy spend.
Bill Bullen, founder and CEO of Utilita Energy, said: “Improved visibility and control has helped our customers to cut their energy spend by as much as a fifth.
“With the price of energy reaching unprecedented levels in recent months, this winter will be one of the worst imaginable for far too many households.
“In the absence of enough targeted support or any practical energy-efficiency advice from the Government, we have taken matters into our own hands to give every household access to the information they need to make savings – no matter who their supplier is.”
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The Bill Buster sessions begin on October 10th and will run for a minimum of 12 months.
Areas in which savings can be made include cost-effective cooking, hot water use, and general energy tips.
The inclusive sessions are designed to be delivered in 12 languages, including British Sign Language, upon request.
Attendees will be able to ask questions during live sessions and will be invited to join thousands of households on Utilita’s dedicated online community where they can find more energy-saving hacks, insights, and advice.
Behind the energy-saving checklist is Sustainability Lead, Archie Lasseter, who said: “We acknowledge that millions of households will have done everything they can to cut back through lack of choice.
“But we also know there are millions of households that have been plunged into fuel poverty that – until now – hadn’t needed to consider cutting their energy spend.
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“We believe that the cheapest and greenest energy is the energy that we don’t use, and the free sessions will help all households – no matter what their situation – to use less energy in the interest of the planet and the pocket.”
Anyone wishing to attend a free session in their local area can find more information by joining here – where sessions will be listed by region from early October.
TOP MONEY-SAVING TIPS – AND POSSIBLE SAVINGS
1. Turn the heating down by one degree – £229
2. Air drying laundry – £77
3. Avoiding standby and unplugging gadgets – £66
4. Turning off lights when leaving the room – £31
5. Washing with a full laundry load -£11
6. Turning down the hot water on your boiler – £115
7. Keeping showers to four minutes – £112
8. Using a plug when washing up – £71
9. Swapping one bath a week for a four-minute shower – £26
10. Washing clothes at 30 degrees – £20
11. Using more efficient cooking appliances – £202
12. Batch cooking when possible – £112
13. Simmering water instead of boiling – £48
14. Using the right-sized pan with matching lid – £51
15. Only filling the kettle with water you need – £13
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