UK Homeowners Facing Biggest Gas Bills Ever

The so-called ‘big freeze’ last month, where temperatures dropped far below zero, is expected to add an average of £123 to the annual heating bill, according to experts from moneysupermarket.com. This means that UK householders are facing a quarterly energy bill of around £616 - 21 percent higher than last year.

Utilities manager of the website, Scott Byrom, stated that extreme cold weather is set to continue in many areas around the country, meaning that householders should look to save energy and cut down on consumption however they can to help cut costs.

He said: ‘Many people will be getting a hefty quarterly statement landing on their doormat at any time that is if they haven’t already received this nasty surprise.’

He added that, for many, it will be the biggest bill they have ever had to pay. Couple this with recession, it is extremely important that people immediately start to think about cutting down on their energy usage.

Measures recommended include turning down your thermostat by just one degree Celsius, which could save as much as ten percent of your annual energy bill.

Insulating your home will also make it naturally warmer, meaning you can turn down that thermostat even further. Double glazing will greatly reduce the heat lost through your windows, and can reduce your energy bills by £135.

Other measures to save money include switching off electrical appliances that aren’t in use, turning off lights when you leave the room, closing the curtains to keep more heat in, and investing in energy saving light bulbs.

You should also heat only the rooms that you use, instead of the entire property.