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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Sophie Huskisson

7 tips to cut your energy bill from the Government - in middle of the freeze

The Government will launch a nationwide advertising blitz to help people save cash this winter as energy prices spiral.

The campaign, called ‘It All Adds Up’, is expected to cost the taxpayer around £20million, but officials involved believe the money will be clawed back in savings.

Liz Truss originally blocked the idea of a public information campaign as she opposed the idea of a "nanny state" Government.

But her successor Rishi Sunak has caved to calls from experts to offer more advice to Brits struggling to keep their bills down.

Here is a preview of some of the advice you can expect to see on posters and in TV or radio commercials from this weekend.

Brits are being advised to turn down the temperature of their boiler (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Reduce the temperature a boiler heats water

The Government will advise that you reduce the temperature a boiler heats water before sending it to radiators from 75⁰C to 60⁰C.

This doesn’t make any difference to the temperature a room is actually heated.

The Government estimates it could save a household up to £100 a year.

Turn off radiators in empty rooms

Turning off radiators in empty rooms is estimated to save £105 a year.

You should close the doors so the cold air doesn’t seep into the rest of the house.

By turning them off, you’ll prevent the water in the system from running through that particular radiator.

“Your boiler uses up the same amount of energy however many radiators it has to heat, but by turning some of them off, your boiler will work more efficiently, meaning the rest of the house will warm up sooner so the boiler switches off sooner, and you’ll save money because you’re using less gas,” according to The Radiator Centre.

Draught-proof windows and doors

Draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy – and money – in any type of building.

To draught-proof your home, you should block unwanted gaps that let cold air in and warm air out.

You can get it done professionally or do some simple DIY jobs yourself, including buying self-adhesive foam strips for windows or metal disks intended to block keyholes, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Turn off the heating when going out

The Government says that you can save £105 a year if you turn off the heating when you go out.

According to experts at the Energy Saving Trust, having the heating on only when you need it is - in the long run - the best way to save energy, and therefore money.

People are being advised to turn the heating off when they go out (Getty Images)

Turn off electrical devices

It is estimated that you could save £55 a year by turning off electrical devices rather than keeping them on standby.

Experts advise you switch off appliances - including TVs, chargers and speakers - at the plug socket so the electrical current is unable to flow through.

Take a shower instead of a bath

You could save approximately £15 a year by using the shower once a week if you usually - and frequently - take baths.

Short showers are also encouraged.

According to the reports from the Energy Saving Trust: “Cutting just a minute off our shower time could save £15 in energy bills, and a further £15 in water bills if water is metered, per person, per year – or £120 saved a year for an average four-person household.”

Try low-cost energy efficiency measures

These include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and thermostatic radiator valves.

Not only could this help you save money on heating bills but implementing something like loft insulation can also reduce your carbon footprint.

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