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Living in the UK is expensive business, there’s no question about that. Now is not the time to be frivolous with your cash, and if there are savings to be had you should be grabbing them with both hands. Cut the cost of your energy bills and you’ll have more cash to spend on what you want, especially during these chilly winter months when we all could do with some cheering up.

• Why bother?
• Are you eligible for a grant?
• Energy Saving Trust
• Top tips for cheaper energy
• Contacts for internal wall insulation
• Contacts for loft insulation and draft

Why bother?

If you’re not interested in saving the planet, that’s fine.  But what you should be interested in is saving your hard earned cash. About one third of your home’s energy is currently being wasted, which means you might as well be flushing your cash down the toilet. Insulating your home properly is the best way to prevent this from happening and the positive effect it would have on our planet could be extraordinary.

Most people disregard going green because of the associated up-front costs. But if you work out the savings you’ll make in the long run, they are worth the investment. There are also plenty of small, low-cost changes you can make that will have a big impact on your bills. More about those later.

Are you eligible for a grant?

The government want you to make energy saving changes to your home, and offer financial assistance as an incentive. In the England this is known as the Warm Front Scheme and it’s still going strong regardless of the government’s latest funding cuts.

What is the Warm Front Scheme and am I eligible for it?

The Warm Front Scheme consists of hundreds of different heating and insulation grants designed to make your home warmer and more energy-efficient. The government could grant you up to £3,500 (£6000 in homes needing oil central heating) to have these heating and insulation measures installed within your home – not bad eh?

Find out right now which grants you’re eligible for. Alternatively you can speak to an experienced advisor at the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012. These guys know their stuff and if you’re eligible for a grant, they’ll make sure that you get it.

But I don’t live in England….

Don’t worry, the government offer energy saving grants throughout the UK. In the England this is known as the Warm Front Scheme but it goes by other names too:

• In Northern Ireland it is Warm Homes Scheme
• In Scotland it is the Energy Assistance Package
• In Wales it is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Click on the links above to find out everything you need to know about government energy-saving grants in your country. Terms will differ from those of the Warm Front Scheme, but help is definitely there for those wanting it.

What happens if I’m not eligible for a government grant?

Not everyone is eligible for a grant and if you find this applies to you don’t panic. The government are not the only providers of energy grants, energy suppliers and your local authorities can also offer you special deals.

You can find the contact details of your local council here. If you don’t qualify for a government grant give these guys a call and find out what they have to offer.

Use the Energy Saving Trust’s tool here to find out if you’re eligible for special offers from energy suppliers.

Energy Saving Trust

The Energy Saving Trust is the most informative website out there for energy saving advice. You’ll find heaps of information on how to stop wasting energy, and they have a special tool which allows you to calculate how much money you could be saving through making certain changes in your home (proper insulation, energy saving light bulbs etc).

The tool is extremely quick and easy to use and will give you a clear understanding of the cash you could be saving – it’s a real eye opener. Below is an example of the savings that could be made in a two-bedroom flat with three extrenal walls:

Energy Savings Measures	Yearly Savings	CO2 Yearly Savings (Kg/ CO2)
Install solid wall insulation (internal)	£ 470	3,318 kg
Install loft insulation to 270mm	£ 500	3,520 kg
Fit a hot water tank jacket	£ 50	351 kg
Install controls for electric heating	£ 50	385 kg
Fit energy saving light bulbs	£ 40	135 kg
Fit draught proofing	£30	225 kg
Turn appliances off and avoid standby	£ 30	126 kg
Wash your laundry	£ 10	44 kg
Only boil as much water as you need	£ 10	28 kg
Always turn off your lights when you leave a room	£ 10	24 kg
Total Savings	£1200	8156 kg

Top tips for cheaper energy

Let’s be honest, regardless of how much money it might save you in the long run, you might not be in a position to make changes to your home right now. If that’s the case then make these small changes that won’t break the bank and are completely free. You’ll still notice a positive difference to your finances.

• Invest in energy-saving light bulbs

Changing all the lights in your house to the energy-saving kind will save you about £9 on your annual electricity bill and up to £100 over the bulb’s lifetime. Energy saving bulbs last up to 10 to 15 times longer and use about a quarter to a fifth of the electricity that ordinary light bulbs use. In less than a year the costs of the light bulbs will have been saved in your energy bill! For details on the best energy-saving light bulbs around check out our dedicated article here.

• Switch your energy supplier

Switch your energy supplier and save £468! We’ve made the whole process ridiculously simple – just enter your postcode here and switch in minutes.

• 1˚C can save you £55

If you were to turn down your thermostat by 1°C you’d save yourself £55 annually! By drawing your curtains at dusk you will keep more heat in the room. Make sure not to block your radiators with any curtains or furniture. Follow these tips and you should barely notice the difference. By also turning down both your hot water boiler to 60°C or 140°F you’ll save an extra £10 annually.

• Replace that old boiler now before winter

If your boiler is over 15 years old it is no longer efficient and draining loads of energy and cash. It can be expensive to purchase a new boiler, but the savings made can equal up to £225 a year. Discover more about energy efficient boilers from the experts here.

• Use your timer

Even if you are not planning on replacing your boiler, always use a timer and turn your heater off 30 minutes before leaving home and programming it so that it switches back on 30 minutes before you return.

• Buy your boiler a new jacket

By adding an insulation jacket to your hot water cylinder you will be preventing heat loss and therefore saving yourself £15-20 annually. They are easy to fit yourself and should cost you about a tenner or less at B&Q. Make sure to purchase a jacket that is at least 75mm thick. Visit Home Heating Guide for step-by-step instructions.

• Switch off

Always remember to switch off all your appliances when you are no longer using them. Microwaves, TVs, videos, stereos, and computers eat up loads of energy when they are left on standby. In fact 85% of the energy consumed by your DVD player is done when it is not actually in use.

• Unplug too

The same principle applies with unplugging pieces of equipment once they have fully charged. Don’t leave your mobile charger, shavers or electric toothbrushes plugged in because they are still draining electricity unnecessarily. Overcharging electrical equipment also causes the battery trauma and it won’t last as long.

• Energy efficient appliances save money

If you’re are purchasing any new appliances buying the energy-efficient one will save you loads. Make sure that they’ve got an Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo on them, as this means they’ve met strict criteria regarding energy efficiency. Take a look at this list of Energy Saving Trust Recommended products right here.

• Stop washing your dishes by hand

Think you’re saving water and energy by washing your dishes by hand? Think again, modern dishwashers use less energy and water than washing up by hand. Remember to only wash full loads of dishes, turn down that hot water temperature and skip the drying cycle. Leave the door ajar instead and let your dishes air dry.

• Don’t forget about the loft

By insulating your loft you could shave up to £140 off your annual heating bill. Find out here if you can get a grant or special offer to help pay for your loft insulation. Alternatively do it yourself with this buy-one-get-two-free easy lay loft insulation rolls from Wickes.

• Skip the dry cycle

Giving your tumbler a miss and drying your clothes indoors is a great way to save money. Use clothes rails rather than lying clothes over radiators as this prevents heat from circulating the room.

• Shower more and bath less

Taking a shower consumes two-fifths of the water used for a bath, however those power shower heads are a no-no as they can use as much water – or sometimes more – than a bath would!

• Check out Nigel’s Eco Store

For quirky, eco friendly products that’ll save you money and energy, Nigel’s Eco Store is the place to look. Here’s a little round-up of our favourite products:

• Radiator Booster - spreads heat more effectively around your room and will save you up to £140 per year. Costs just £18.99.
• Ecoflap – an extremely effective little device that stops draughts from making your home chilly. Will help to reduce your heating bills, especially during the winter months. Use the code FLAP11 and knock 10% off the £19.99 price.

Useful links

• Energy Saving Trust
• Top products to save you money
• Nigel’s Eco Store

Contacts for internal wall insulation

Grant provider:	British Gas
Grant name:	Home Insulation
End date:	Ongoing
Offer:	Pay just £199 for cavity wall insulation or find out here if you’re eligible for FREE home insulation
Contact telephone no:	0800 077 3717
Website:	www.britishgas.co.uk/insulation

Grant provider:	EDF Energy
Grant name:	Home insulation grants
End date:	Ongoing
Offer:	EDF Energy is offering free cavity wall and loft insulation for homes to customers on qualifying benefits and for people over 70 years old. A discounted rate of £199 for loft insulation and £199 for cavity wall insulation is available for others.
Contact telephone no / Website	0800 096 9966  /  http://www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for-your-home/our-services/home-insulation.shtml

Grant provider:	Affordable Energy
Grant provider:	Affordable Energy
End date:	Ongoing (the online application form says 2008, but this is to be updated – grants ARE still available)
Offer:	Cavity Wall Insulation is £148 or FREE to people over 70 years old or who are claiming certain benefits. Find out here if that applies to you. Installation is carried out by accredited professionals and guaranteed for 25 years by CIGA.
Contact telephone no:	0800 096 6356
Website:	www.affordableenergy.co.uk

Contacts for loft insulation

Grant provider:	British Gas
Grant name:	Home Insulation
End date:	Ongoing
Offer:	For a limited time only pay just £199 for loft insulation or find out here if you’re eligible for FREE home insulation
Contact telephone no:	0800 077 3717
Website:	www.britishgas.co.uk/insulation

Grant provider:	Affordable Energy
Grant name:	Affordable Energy
End date:	Ongoing
Offer:	Loft insulation is £148 or FREE to people over 70 years old or who are claiming certain benefits. Find out here if that applies to you. Installation is carried out by accredited professionals and guaranteed for 25 years by CIGA.
Contact telephone no:	0800 096 6356
Website:	www.affordableenergy.co.uk

Grant provider:	EDF Energy
Grant name:	Home insulation grants
End date:	Ongoing
Offer:	EDF Energy is offering free cavity wall and loft insulation for homes to customers on qualifying benefits and for people over 70 years old. A discounted rate of £199 for loft insulation and £199 for cavity wall insulation is available for others.
Contact telephone no / Website	0800 096 9966  /  http://www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for-your-home/our-services/home-insulation.shtml