Energy savings tips

Rising energy bills are one of the biggest concerns this winter – but what can you do to save money?

To mark Big Energy Saving Week (20-26th January 2020) and to reduce your energy bills, why not try these simple energy-saving actions:

Save in the kitchen

  1. Use a bowl to wash-up rather than running a tap, reduce your washing machine use by one cycle a week
  2. Only fill the kettle with the water you need and you could save around £36 a year in the kitchen.

Save in the bathroom

  1. Spend one minute less in the shower each day and a family of four could save £75 a year on energy and water bills.
  2. A dripping tap can waste more than 5,300 litres of water a year, so make sure your taps are properly turned off and change washers promptly when taps start to drip.
  3. A running tap wastes more than 6 litres of water every minute so turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face.
  4. Replacing an inefficient shower head with a water efficient one could save a household of four people around £70 a year off gas bills and around £115 a year off water bills.

Save on lighting

  1. Turn your lights off when you’re not using them. If you switch a light off for just a few seconds, you will save more energy than it takes for the light to start up again. This will save you around £14 a year on your annual energy bills.
  2. Replace your bulbs as and when you can with energy efficient LEDs – on average it could save about £35 a year on bills.

Save on appliances

  1. Turning your appliances off standby mode can save you £30 a year and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.

Save on heating

  1. If you have a timer on your central heating system, set the heating and hot water to come on only when required.
  2. If you turn down your main thermostat by 1 degree, you can around 10% on your energy bill. But make sure your home is warm enough during cold weather. Cold homes can damage your health.
  3. Installing a room thermostat, a programmer and thermostatic radiator valves and using these controls efficiently could save you around £75 a year.
  4. Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.
  5. Draught-proofing of window and doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can save around £20 a year on energy bills.

Save by getting extra support

  1. Do a home energy check to find out about savings of up to £130 a year on household energy bills. Visit the Simple Energy Advice website and get personalised energy savings advice.
  2. Visit your local Citizens Advice office to get advice in person about how to reduce your energy bills.
  3. If anyone in your household is receiving benefits, contact your energy supplier and see what support they can provide. They should be able to tell you what help is available through the Energy Company Obligation.
  4. If you need a little extra help from your energy company – including large print bills or more support during a power cut – you can apply to be added to your electricity network priority services register.
  5. Check if you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount. Energy suppliers can provide rebates to households on certain benefits. The rebate is £140 for 2019/20 and you should contact your electricity supplier directly to see if you qualify.
  6. If you live in Wales, contact the Welsh Government’s Nest scheme on 0808 808 2244 to see if you are eligible for a package of free home energy efficiency improvements such as a new boiler, central heating or insulation.

 Would you like more tailored advice?

During Big Energy Saving Week, we are running a series of drop-in advice sessions where you can meet our Energy Champion for free one-to-one personalised advice on energy saving in the home, switching energy suppliers, different energy tariffs and available support. To find out more about the advice sessions, click here or have a look at further information on how to save, check and switch.

 Other relevant support from Community Impact Bucks:

  • Bucks Oil Buying Club (BOB)

Our Bucks Oil Buying Club (BOB) takes on the organisation of bulk buying of fuel oil and the negotiation of the best prices to help individuals, community buildings and rural businesses to save money. For more information, click here.

  • The Big Energy Saving Network (BESN)

We are part of The Big Energy Saving Network which is an assisted action project made up of local community groups and charities across the country.  The Big Energy Saving Network complements campaigns such as Big Energy Saving Week and Energy Best Deal, and helps some of England and Wales’ most vulnerable households stay warm and lower energy bills.   For more information, click here.

 

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