New research from GoCompare Energy has found that 83 per cent of energy customers have seen their fuel bills increase since Ofgem’s price cap came into force in April. The research, which also asked more than 2,100 people what they are doing differently to try and cut costs, discovered that over two-thirds (64%) of those surveyed have started turning off the lights when they leave a room, making this the top measure people are taking to save money and reduce energy usage around the home.
Other tactics to tackle the energy and cost of living crisis included going to bed earlier, using the tumble dryer less and doing laundry at night - just 10 per cent of respondents said they weren’t implementing any energy-saving measures.
Industry experts at Auxilione said its final prediction is that Ofgem will set the cap at £3,576 per year for the average household - the cap is currently £1,971. Based on tis week's gas prices, they think the price cap will hit £4,704 next January and £5,856 in April, but said it will then fall and remain at stomach-churning levels, hitting £5,235 in July and £5,235 next October.
10 ways to reduce energy bills
GoCompare Energy shared the top 10 ways people are trying to save on their energy bills, these are ranked by popularity below.
- Turning off lights when they leave the room - 64%
- Turning off appliances when they’re not being used or in standby mode - 54%
- Not filling the kettle to the top - 45%
- Washing clothes on a lower heat setting - 39%
- Taking shorter showers - 36%
- Changing light bulbs to LED bulbs - 28%
- No longer using the tumble dryer - 24%
- Making the house more energy efficient - 19%
- Going to bed earlier - 18%
- Using the slow cooker instead of the oven - 17%
Other ways people are looking to save on their energy bills included doing the laundry at night (16%) visiting friends and family more (8%) and spending more time in the office (5%).
Commenting on the findings, Gareth Kloet, of GoCompare Energy, said: “With 83% of people feeling the impact of rising energy costs, it’s no wonder that lifestyle habits around the home will have been impacted.
"Some of these measures will undoubtedly help to keep increased costs to a minimum but there are obviously limits to the changes that people can make.
“Being aware of the way that energy is consumed in the house can only be a good thing and will be important to maintain even after things have improved in the market.”
For some other tips on how to save energy, GoCompare has created an online guide which you can view here.
To keep up to date with the cost of living crisis, join in the conversation on our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out three times each week - sign up here.
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