Fuel bill worries leaving you in the cold?

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By Jonathan Thomas
Know Your Money Editor

The recent cold snap - the most prolonged spell of freezing temperatures in the UK since December 1981 according to the Met Office - could have led many homeowners to turn up their heating in order to keep warm. In addition to this, many more people may have found themselves snowed in and forced to take a day off or work from home, meaning that their electricity bills could also have seen a sharp increase. For some people this may be a concern due to fears about affording their increasing fuel bills.

According to the recent Ofiice for National Statistics annual Family Spending survey, despite the economic turbulence, during 2008 the spending on electricity, gas and other fuels increased from £17.20 to £18.90 a week.

Overall, households were also spending more, with the average weekly expenditure in British households increasing by 2.6 per cent in 2008.

People are concerned

If the recent freezing weather conditions have left you worrying about paying energy bills this month then you are not alone as four out of 10 people share this concern, research has suggested.

According to the Which? Switch survey, 38 per cent of people are concerned about how they will afford to pay their bill and close to 65 per cent had given their bills more thought than usual because of the weather.

In terms of paying for their bill, the research found that 14 per cent of people used their children's or their own savings to ensure they could afford to pay for their gas or electricity and 18 per cent cutback on leisure activities and gym memberships.

Many people are choosing to take options other than turning up the heating to stay comfortable this winter, with 84 per cent wearing more clothes, around 73 per cent consuming warm drinks and 39 per cent blocking draughts under doors and windows.

Martyn Hocking, editor of Which?, said: "There's little choice but to turn the heating up when you're faced with cold weather, so it's inevitable that people are going to worry about their bills."

What can be done to reduce costs?

Mr Hocking urged people to check they were on the best energy tariff and to see if there were any steps they could take to reduce their bill, such as paying by direct debit or moving to an online account.

Many people are already doing so and savvy consumers may wish to join the one third of people surveyed who said they planned to shop around for the best energy supplier and switch or call their existing provider and check they are on the cheapest tariff.

Consumers could also consider going online for a dual fuel direct debit which could save them money. Customers could save hundreds of pounds a year by making the simple change.

But there are a number of simple things that every homeowner can do to save money, regardless of their energy supplier.

It may seem an obvious measure but it is one that is often overlooked, so switch off appliances that are not in use rather than leaving them on standby as it still uses power. Similarly, unplug mobile phone chargers as they will continue to drain energy even when not connected to a mobile.

Turning the thermostat down by just one degree Celsius could save consumers 10 per cent on their annual heating bills.

Washing your clothes at lower temperatures is also cost-effective and with modern washing powders there is usually little need to wash at high temperatures.

As for more long-term investments, homeowners may wish to consider improving insulation in their home - some people are entitled to grants to help carry out such work, so it could be wise to check with your local council if you think you may be entitled.

In addition to this, around £100 per year could be saved by installing double or triple glazing in your home as heat loss can be reduced by around 50 per cent.

Draughty doorways can also cause heat loss and can easily be fixed by a visit to your local DIY store.

Important Notice
This guide is intended for general information only and is not intended as, and does not constitute, any form of advice, recommendation or endorsement by us of any particular product(s) or services and you should rely on your own further research and professional advice in relation to your specific requirements and circumstances before purchasing any products or services. Use of this guide is subject to the Terms of Use of the KnowYourMoney site.