Energy bills: 10 ways to cut costs and save more

If you feel like you've been paying too much for energy for years now, you're right. Since the energy crisis of 2022, bills have remained stubbornly high. The Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is £1,723 a year for a typical dual fuel household paying by Direct Debit, up 4% on the previous quarter. That's lower than the 2022-23 peak, but still significantly above pre-crisis levels. The good news? There's more you can do about it than you think. Many households could pay less simply by reviewing their setup. Here are ten things you can do this week to start saving.

This is the single biggest win for most people. If you've never switched or you're on a standard variable tariff, you're almost certainly paying more than you need to. Use a comparison site like Uswitch or Energy Helpline to check what's available. Some fixed-rate deals are priced below the current cap. If you find one, you could lock in a lower rate and protect yourself from future increases, but check exit fees and compare the unit rates and standing charges, not just the headline annual figure. Potential saving: £150–£300 per year

Smart meters don't save you money directly, but they change your behaviour — which does. When you can see exactly how much you're spending in real time via the in-home display, you start making different choices. Many households find they use a little less energy once they can see it. Even a 3% cut on a £1,723 annual bill would be about £52 a year, without any major lifestyle changes. Potential saving: around £50 per year

This is the cheapest, most effective home improvement you can make. Gaps around doors, windows, letterboxes, and floorboards let warm air escape and cold air in, forcing your boiler to work harder. A £20 draught-proofing kit from any DIY shop can cover most of a typical home. The Energy Saving Trust estimates this saves £45–£60 per year on heating bills. Potential saving: £45–£60 per year

You've heard this before, but are you actually doing it? Dropping your thermostat by just one degree — from 21°C to 20°C, for example — cuts your heating bill by roughly 10%. For most households, that's £80–£100 saved over the heating season. You probably won't even notice the difference. If you do, put on a jumper. Seriously — it's the easiest money you'll ever save. Potential saving: £80–£100 per year

If you've still got halogen or incandescent bulbs lurking in your home, replacing them with LEDs is a no-brainer. LEDs use up to 80% less energy and last 15–25 times longer. A typical home has around 20 light fittings. Swapping them all to LED costs about £40 upfront and saves roughly £65 per year. The bulbs pay for themselves in seven months. Potential saving: £55–£65 per year

Washing clothes at 30°C instead of 40°C uses around 40% less energy per cycle. If you run five loads a week, that adds up over a year. Also, always run full loads. Half-empty machines use almost as much energy as full ones. And if you've got an economy tariff, run your machine during off-peak hours (usually overnight or early morning). Potential saving: £30–£50 per year

If the top of your radiators feels cool while the bottom is warm, there's trapped air inside. This means your heating system is working harder than it needs to. Bleeding radiators takes five minutes per radiator with a simple radiator key (less than £2 from any hardware shop). Do it at the start of the heating season and again mid-winter. Potential saving: £20–£40 per year

If you're still using a basic timer on your boiler, a programmable thermostat or smart heating system like Hive, Nest, or tado° can make a significant difference. Smart controls learn your routine, adjust for weather, and let you control heating remotely. No more heating an empty house because you forgot to turn it off. Potential saving: £75–£120 per year

If you have a hot water cylinder (common in homes without a combi boiler), wrapping it in an insulation jacket costs about £15 and takes 20 minutes to fit. An uninsulated cylinder loses heat constantly, meaning your boiler fires up more often to keep the water hot. A jacket keeps the heat in for longer. Potential saving: £35–£50 per year

This is where saving on energy connects to saving in general. Set a monthly energy budget and track it. If your smart meter shows you're on course to overspend, you can adjust before the bill arrives. Better yet, take whatever you save on energy and redirect it into a savings goal. If these tips save you £200 a year, that's £200 your future self will thank you for. Use SYM to set an energy savings challenge — put the difference between your old bill and your new one into savings each month.

You can't control wholesale energy prices or government policy. But you can control how much energy you use and how much you pay for it. Most of these tips cost nothing or very little upfront, and the combined savings can easily reach £400–£600 per year. That's a holiday. A chunky addition to your emergency fund. A year's worth of streaming subscriptions. The money is there — it's just currently going to your energy supplier instead of to you. Start with the easy wins — check your tariff, turn down the thermostat, switch to LEDs — and build from there. Every pound you don't spend on energy is a pound you can save.