Keeping warm isn't just about comfort. Living in a cold home can affect your health, especially if you're older, have young children, have a long-term health condition or care for someone who is vulnerable.
There are some simple things you can do to help keep yourself and your home warm:
- Heat your home to around 18°C if possible, especially the rooms you use most.
- Wear several thin layers of clothing rather than one thick layer to help keep warm.
- Close curtains at dusk, block draughts and keep doors closed to keep heat in.
- Have hot meals and drinks to help keep your body warm.
- Check your heating and boiler before cold weather arrives.
Help with your energy bills
If you're worried about your energy bills or need help keeping your home warm, the following organisations offer advice and support.
Help with your water bill
If you're struggling to pay your water bill, United Utilities offers support, including flexible payment options and financial help.
- Find out about flexible ways to pay your water bill - United Utilities website
- Find out about financial support from United Utilities - United Utilities website
Simple ways to save energy and reduce your bills
Making a few small changes around your home could help you use less energy and save money.
Heating your home
- Turn your thermostat down slightly. Reducing the temperature by just 1°C could save you up to 10% on your heating bill.
- Check your boiler settings. If you have a condensing boiler installed after 2005, lowering the flow temperature could help it run more efficiently. Look for the dial with a radiator symbol on the front of your boiler. If you live in a newer property, setting it to 60°C or less could help you save money.
- Bleed your radiators. If a radiator is cold at the top, it may need bleeding. Using a radiator key to release trapped air can help it heat properly and reduce the work your boiler needs to do.
- Turn off radiators in rooms you're not using and keep the doors closed.
- Close internal doors and curtains to help keep warmth in, particularly in rooms you're not using.
- Use rugs on hard floors. If you have wooden, laminate or tiled floors, putting down a rug can help reduce heat loss. Up to 10% of heat can be lost through floors.
Using less electricity
- Get a smart meter. This can help you keep track of how much energy you're using and identify appliances that cost more to run.
- Switch appliances off standby. Turning off appliances such as TVs, microwaves and phone chargers when you're not using them could save you up to £147 a year.
- Use LED light bulbs. They use at least 75% less energy and can last up to 25 times longer than traditional bulbs.
- Only boil the water you need. When making a cup of tea or coffee, filling the kettle with just enough water can help reduce the energy you use.