OVO, EDF, Eon, British Gas and Octopus customers urged to follow simple trick to save £130 a year

Ofgem is set to hike its price cap from tomorrow (October 1) and households could see their annual energy costs rise by £149

From October 1, millions of UK households could face an annual energy cost increase of £149 as Ofgem is set to raise its price cap. However, customers of British Gas, OVO, EDF, Eon, and Octopus are being advised to follow a simple trick that could potentially save them £130 on their bills while still keeping the heating on during winter.

Citizens Advice suggests that reducing your thermostat by just one degree can result in a 10% saving on heating costs. It advises that most people will find temperatures between 18C and 21C comfortable, but those with health conditions that can be exacerbated by cold weather should not set their thermostat below 21C.

In 2022, researchers from University College London analysed thermostat data from 13,000 homes across Britain. They discovered that for each 1C decrease in thermostat temperature between 22C and 18C, an average home used around £130 less energy. Larger homes can also make greater savings, according to the researchers. For every square metre, average households used approximately £1.10 less in gas for each 1C decrease, reports Birmingham Live.

They also used 40p less in electricity for each 1C and each square metre. Factors contributing to the amount of energy saved by lowering the thermostat temperature include:

• How big your home is
• How quickly your home loses heat
• How many hours your heating is switched on for
• How mild or cold the winter is
• Your energy tariff

Checkatrade has recommended using a programmable thermostat to manage your heating more efficiently, stating: "You can then automatically increase the degree for when you're home or awake." They added, "Using a programmable thermostat can help to cut down on unnecessary heating, so you're using your heating more efficiently."

The Centre for Sustainable Energy advises, "Don't pay for heat that you're not using! If you are out during the day (or tucked up in bed at night), you don't need the heating on. Even if you turn your thermostat down a bit, your boiler will keep firing up and using energy (and cost you money) at times when you won't feel the benefit."

They suggest programming your central heating to switch off when you're out or asleep, and back on before you return or wake up. Citizens Advice also recommends checking your thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to ensure you're not heating unused rooms, as these valves allow you to set individual temperatures for each radiator.

Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) are common features that could help you save on heating bills. Citizens Advice advises: "Check what the TRVs on your radiators are set to. If they're on a high setting in rooms where you don't spend much time, try turning them down to a low setting to save energy."

They also warned, "Don't turn them down to zero - this will turn off the radiator completely. Even in a room you don't use much, there should be some heat to stop damp and mould from developing."