Heating a home costs 63% more than five years ago

By Helen Gradwell

It's getting cold outside. And, for many, it's getting cold inside too - as the average annual price of heating a home has risen from £360 to £587 since 2008. This means that the cost of heating a home has increased by £227, or 63%, in five years.

To keep energy costs down, 19.5 million households (75%) went without their heating at some point last winter, according to research by uSwitch.com. 15% believe that having to ration their heating affected their health, or their quality of life in general.

Households now pay an average of £1,334 per year for their energy (including gas and electricity), whereas in 2008 this figure stood at £819 per year.

uSwitch.com has found, however, that households could cut their heating bills by up to 21% (the equivalent of £123 per year) by moving to a more competitive energy plan.

You can also reduce the amount you spend on heating by using your energy more efficiently. All About Money has these tips for staying out of energy debt:

• 'Close off' the rooms you don't use very much during winter. Turn off any radiators inside and keep the windows and doors closed.
• Place tin foil behind your radiators, to reflect heat into the room.
• Fit some thick curtains and keep them closed after the sun sets. This will help to keep the heat in.
• When you've finished cooking in the oven, leave the door open and allow the leftover heat to warm your kitchen.
• If your family spends most of their time in one room (the living room, for example), turn the heating off in the rest of the house. You may only be able to do this if your radiators are fitted with thermostatic valves.
• If your heating has a timer, use it. You could schedule your heating to come on just as you're waking up, and just as you're getting home from work. That way you won't be using your heating when you don't need it.
• Snuggle up in a big jumper and some blankets instead of turning the heating up a few degrees.
• Simply turning your thermostat down by one degree could save you £40 on your annual heating bill, according to the Guardian.
• Make sure your home is properly insulated. There is free insulation available from a number of energy providers. Click here to see the eligibility criteria and the deadlines for each supplier.

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