How to get help with paying your energy bills this winter
ALMOST 14 million homeowners will have to cut their energy use this winter over looming price hikes.
Families are willing to risk freezing as temperatures plummet because they worry about paying their energy bills.
Industry experts have said energy giants are going to hike their prices as the wholesale cost has rocketed by 66 per cent to a five-year high.
Shocking research reveals that 13.6 million Brits will ration their energy by not switching on the central heating and reducing the use of energy-hungry appliances.
It comes as millions of households are paying out more for their energy because they believe they are on the cheapest tariff.
More than 13 million British households missed out on savings last year because they did not change their energy supplier, with almost 60 per cent of them believing they were on the cheapest tariff available, the poll to mark Big Energy Saving Week found.
Despite being able to save hundreds of pounds by switching, a third of Brits plan to snuggle up under blankets instead of switching the heating on, as one in ten say they worry about affording their fuel bill.
A quarter even plan to just fill a hot water bottle when the cold snap comes, while 12 per cent will wear thermal socks to combat the freezing temperatures.
Research from Go Compare also reveals that 41 per cent will turn their thermostat down to reduce costs, while 27 per cent won't heat unused rooms.
But 30 per cent could be missing out on cheaper energy bills because they haven't switched suppliers for three years or more.
A further 17 per cent admitted they have never switched energy suppliers - meaning they could be losing out on hundreds of pounds.
Energy Saving Trust chief executive Philip Sellwood said: "Many bill payers are missing out on substantial annual savings because they assume they are on the best tariff without actually checking.
"Prices fluctuate every year, so by not switching and being on energy autopilot, consumers may be sleepwalking towards having less money."
Ben Wilson, spokesperson for Gocompare.com Energy, said: “For many people, energy bills represent a significant proportion of their household expenditure. So it makes sense to find ways to cut the cost of winter bills when household energy use tends to be at its highest.
“But instead of going without - now is a good time to shop around to see if you can reduce the cost of your gas and electricity by switching to a better tariff. Our survey suggests that there are many homeowners who have either never switched or have stuck with the same supplier for three years or more.
"Chances are these people are charged their suppliers’ standard variable rate – so will be paying way over the odds for their energy. According to our latest figures, customers switching gas and electricity supplier with Gocompare.com Energy could slash their energy bills by as much as £366."
But there are other ways to save money on energy that don't involved freezing under a blanket at home.
Energy grants and extra help from your supplier
If you are in debt to your supplier, charitable trusts sometimes offer grants to help you pay it off.
If you’re a pensioner, disabled, or sick, you might be able to get extra help and support from your energy supplier through their .
They would be able to help you with things like:
Although the tariff doesn't end until January, it would be worth paying the £50 exit fee to leave early and switch to the cheapest Flex 12 month Fixed deal from Iresa costing £744 a year.
Leave your account in credit
Winter means you're definitely going to use more power so unless you're desperate for the cash, leave money in your account to cover the extra power you use.
Switch every three years
From next year, if you fail to switch tariffs at least once every three years, your details will be put on a marketing list all suppliers can access. They can then bombard you with junk mail.
To opt out, look out for a letter from your current supplier asking if you’d like to receive ‘personalised deals’.
Make sure you reply saying you do not want personalised deals. If you don’t reply, then your details will automatically be added to the database.
Check every comparison site
Shopping around for the best deals because some websites will only have deals available to them. For example, Eon has a top one-year fixed deal costing £799, but to get it customers must sign up via a website such as Energyhelpline or Moneysupermarket.
So before you commit to a switch, run separate searches on Energyhelpline, GoCompare, Moneysupermarket and uSwitch.
Ben Wilson, spokesperson for Gocompare.com Energy, said: “Switching energy suppliers is quick and easy, particularly if you use a comparison website which will allow you to compare tariffs offered by a range of providers.
"Log-on to a comparison website armed with recent bills from your current supplier, which will show details of your energy usage, and find a deal which best suits your needs.
"After a two week cooling off period, your new supplier will contact you with follow up information about your service switchover - during which, there should be no disruption to your energy supply.”
Below, we reveal the common myths people believe will save them money.
Myth busters: What shouldn't you do to save money?
SHOULD you keep your heating on all day? Is it cheaper to leave lights on rather than turn them on and off? We reveal the common myths that won't save you a penny.
Myth one: It’s better to leave the lights on rather than turn them on and off several times
FALSE! Having lights switched on when they aren’t needed is a sure-fire way to waste energy.
In fact, turning off lights when you don’t need them could save £15 per year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Myth two: The higher you set the thermostat the quicker your home will heat up
FALSE! Energyhelpline’s chief writer Matt Ridout, said: “Turning your thermostat up higher will not increase the speed your home heats up.
“It will only result in the final temperature being higher. It doesn’t work like pressing your foot on the accelerator of a car.
“In fact, using your heating in this manner will often lead to your house becoming too warm, and you wasting energy and money in the process.”
Myth three: Leave your heating on if you’re going away in winter
MAYBE. Whether you need to leave your heating on depends on how long you’re going away for and what time of year it is.
If you’re going away over the next few months then it’s important to make sure your pipes don’t freeze, but you don’t need to heat your home to the normal temperature.
Myth four: It’s better to use a dishwasher rather than do the washing up
MAYBE. “It’s too close to call really,” says Brian Horne, home energy expert at the Energy Saving Trust “the difference between using a dishwasher on an energy efficiency setting and washing up in a bowl of water, not a running tap, is very small in terms of the energy you’ll save.”
However, consumer group Which? says that using a dishwasher can be a more water-efficient way of doing the dishes rather than handwashing in the sink.
Myth five: It is cheaper to run appliances at night?
MAYBE. Only if you’re on a time-of-use tariff, such as Economy 7 or Economy 10, these are typically used by households with storage heaters.
They offer a lower rate of electricity during certain hours of the day – sometimes at night – while charging a higher rate outside this time.
Many experts suggest that they are targeted at vulnerable customers as they require a meter or are payable on receiving a bill.
Myth six: If you leave an appliance plugged in then it will continue to use energy
TRUE! On average, a DVD player left plugged in for 6 hours a day would add £3.15 to your energy bill.
While a phone charger plugged in for 5.6 hours a day would waste 62p a year and a laptop left charging 4.5 hours a day would cost £1.63, according to comparison website uSwitch.com.
Individually these numbers may seem small and charges would vary depending on your energy tariff and the energy efficiency rating of the appliance, but they do add up.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that each household could save £30 a year by not leaving appliances on standby.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368