How to Save Money on Your Heating Bills This Winter

Nick Saving Money events, benefits 9 Comments

For older people in particular, heating bills can be among their biggest expenses. And it’s especially important for older people to keep warm, as getting chilled can lower your body’s resistance to infection and – in the worst cases – lead to hypothermia.

In addition, as you doubtless know, gas and electricity bills have gone up considerably in the last year or two. And many older people will no longer get Winter Fuel Payments, as the new government have opted to restrict this to just the very poorest pensioners (those in receipt of Pension Credit).

So today I thought I’d set out some ways you may be able to save money on your heating and energy bills. Following these tips could save you hundreds of pounds in the months and years ahead.

Switch Energy Supplier

It’s important to check regularly whether you could save money by switching to a different supplier and/or tariff. The quick and easy way of doing this is via a price comparison website. There are a number of these available, including GoCompare and USwitch.

Just visit the comparison site and enter a few details, including your current supplier and tariff and how much you spend on gas and electricity in the course of a year (it doesn’t have to be exact). The site will then display the best deals currently open to you and how much you might be able to save by switching to them. In most cases you can also start the switching process by clicking on the relevant link. Before you do, though, it’s worth checking on cashback sites like Quidco and Top Cashback, as some energy companies pay cashback via these sites to people switching their supply to them.

If you are one of the 1.1 million households who use oil for heating, you can save money by shopping around for suppliers too. Check out the oil price comparison service BoilerJuice. Type in your postcode and how many litres of heating oil you’re looking to buy, and BoilerJuice will show you quotes from suppliers covering your area.

Switching energy suppliers is generally quick and easy, and can save you hundreds of pounds a year at a stroke. In these challenging times, it should be high on your list of potential money-saving strategies this winter.

• Special Offer! If you switch to EDF Energy via my link, you can get a FREE £50 credited to your energy account. Terms and conditions apply. For more info, click on  https://edfenergy.com/quote/refer-a-friend/sunny-koala-9462 [referral link].

Get Financial Help

If you’re in certain priority groups, you may be able to get cash payments to help offset your energy bills.

Winter Fuel Payment is a one-off annual payment of £200 to £300 which was previously made to everyone over state pension age. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the new government have decided to limit this benefit to the very poorest pensioners who are in receipt of pension credit (or certain other welfare benefits). To qualify this winter, you must have been born on or before 23 September 1958 and been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for at least one day during the week of 16 to 22 September 2024 (the ‘qualifying week’). If that applies to you, this money should be paid automatically, but you can phone the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 if you haven’t received the payment before and need to claim.

• If you think you might be eligible for Pension Credit but are not currently receiving it, it’s now more important than ever to apply. Not only will it qualify you to receive Winter Fuel Payments, it can act as a gateway to a range of other discounts and benefits as well. See my blog post about applying for Pension Credit for more information.

In addition, those on certain welfare benefits (including Pension Credit, Income Support and Universal Credit) may be eligible for Cold Weather Payments. This is £25 for any period of seven consecutive days when temperatures fall below zero. More information can be found on this page of the government website.

You may also be eligible for £150 off your energy bill under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. This is run by some (not all) of the energy companies. If you get the Guaranteed Credit element of Pension Credit you will qualify automatically. But if you’re on a low income and meet the energy supplier’s other criteria, you may also qualify. Contact your supplier directly for more information. The large energy companies such as EDF and British Gas all operate this scheme, but some of the smaller ones don’t. The Warm Home DIscount scheme for 2024/25 opens in October 2024. More information can be found on the official website.

Finally, if you’re on a very low income, you may qualify for help from the Household Support Fund: This is money provided to councils by the government to assist pensioners and others on very low incomes. You will need to contact your local council to find out if you’re eligible.

More Top Tips

Here are some more ways you may be able to save money on your heating and energy bills.

• Have your boiler serviced regularly, to ensure it is operating at peak efficiency.
• If you have an old boiler that keeps breaking down, the time may have come to replace it. The Energy Saving Trust say that you could save up to up to 40 percent on your gas bill by installing a new ‘A’ rated condensing boiler with a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator controls.
• Upgrading your insulation can also cut bills by reducing the amount of heat going to waste. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to get a free boiler and/or insulation under the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme. You can apply for this via your energy company. Even if you’re not on a low income, you may be able to get a discount on home insulation, so it’s worth checking to see what’s available.
• If your radiators aren’t heating up properly at the top, you may need to bleed them to release air in the pipes. Depending on the radiator, you may need a special key to do this or a flat-bladed screwdriver.
• Turn down your thermostat by one degree ­- this can reduce your heating bill by up to 10%.
• Ensure you don’t put furniture right in front of radiators, as this can block heat from entering the room.
• Replace old light-bulbs with new energy-saving bulbs. The latest LED bulbs are just as bright as old incandescent bulbs and use a tenth of the energy. They last longer too.
• Exclude draughts with heavy curtains and draught excluders by doors.
• Turn off heaters in rooms you aren’t using and close the doors to keep heat in.
• Place reflective foil behind radiators on exterior walls to bounce heat back into the room.
• Don’t leave electrical appliances on standby.
• Wash clothes at 30 degrees and try to avoid using tumble driers. Hang washing outside whenever possible or place it over an airer.
• Consider investing in a smart thermostat system such as Nest or Hive. This will give you precise, automated control over your heating system, allowing you to use just as much energy as you need and no more. See this Money Supermarket article for more information.
• If your funds are limited and you have or develop a disability you may be able to get a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) from your local authority to pay for adaptations such as stairlifts.

By taking these steps you should be able to cut your heating and energy bills significantly this winter.

If you have any comments or questions about this post, as always, please do leave them below.

• This is a fully updated version of my original post on this subject.