Tackling The Rise In Energy Bills

The price cap around energy is increasing by 54% in April this year. As such, many consumers are concerned that their energy bills are about to increase significantly – it’s believed that that bills will soar to more than £2000 a year for the average consumer. Research has shown that nearly nine in ten (89%) people think it is important that the government acts to combat the rise in energy bills, with 91% feeling that the government should be introducing new support schemes for consumers if the price cap increases again in October. Our professionals have some top tips to save on electricity consumption, and battle the rise in living costs. 

1. Smart Meters: installing smart meters in your home can be a great way of monitoring your spending each month. It is estimated that homes with smart meters could save up to 49% on their annual energy bills.
2. Energy Efficient Appliances: When purchasing new appliances, it’s always worth checking the energy efficiency rating. The ratings span from A down to G, and labels will even tell you the energy consumption of the appliance to allow accurate comparisons. Transitioning from a 100 Watt bulb to a 10 Watt not only helps the environment, but can have a massive impact on your electricity consumption when implemented throughout a home.
3. Turn Your Appliances Off: The desire to have tech at our fingertips has meant that it has become common to leave appliances on standby. However, every appliance left on standby continues to use energy when not in use, the average UK home wastes £55 a year on appliances left on standby. Smart plugs can be a great way to cut energy costs for appliances typically left on standby and can save you £86 per year. 
4. Turning unused lights off: walking out of a room and leaving the light on is a classic way we all waste energy. Passive Infrared sensors do the work for you, turning lights on and off based on motion detected within a space. These can save up to 50% on a home’s lighting energy costs. 
5. Renewable Energy: In the long term, there are of course more drastic solutions to the price increases. Renewable energy, although daunting to some, can be worth the while when you factor in the overall savings and impact on the environment. The recent announcement of cutting the 5% VAT from April for homeowners with solar panels, heat pumps and insulation installed means that the next 5 years are the optimal time to invest in the switch to renewable energy within the home.

Although we can’t avoid the rise in energy costs, hope is not lost. There are options out there for the average homeowner to maintain a manageable monthly spend and, incidentally, make positive contributions to the battle against climate change.