{"id":169,"date":"2026-04-17T15:44:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T15:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/04\/17\/want-to-cut-your-energy-bills-heres-how-five-experts-are-doing-it\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T15:44:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T15:44:06","slug":"want-to-cut-your-energy-bills-heres-how-five-experts-are-doing-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/04\/17\/want-to-cut-your-energy-bills-heres-how-five-experts-are-doing-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to cut your energy bills? Here\u2019s how five experts are doing it"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span> Monkey Business Images\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rising prices are putting pressure on people to try and use less energy. But what are the most effective ways of cutting bills? We asked five experts for their practical advice.<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Insulate your home<\/h2>\n

Upgrading loft insulation to current standards, typically 27\u201330cm thick for mineral wool, improves energy efficiency, comfort and long-term cost savings. It acts as a thermal barrier, as up to 25% of a home\u2019s heat can escape through an uninsulated roof<\/a>. Installing cavity wall insulation in older homes improves efficiency by reducing heat loss through walls by up to 35%<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Using draught excluders, keeping internal doors closed on cold days, and installing a smart energy controller also help retain warmth and optimise energy use. All these measures can help lower heating bills, maintain warmer indoor temperatures, reduce draughts, minimise condensation, and improve a home\u2019s energy performance certificate rating.<\/p>\n

The cheapest energy is the energy we do not use. That\u2019s why the International Energy Agency describes energy efficiency as the \u201cfirst fuel\u201d<\/a>. Buildings account for around 30% of global energy demand<\/a>, so homes are a critical part of both affordability and energy security.<\/p>\n

In the UK, 420,600 energy-efficiency measures were installed in 2024 through government support schemes<\/a>. There is clearly strong demand for more measures like this.<\/p>\n

Farooq Sher is a senior lecturer in sustainable energy engineering<\/em><\/p>\n

\n \"A<\/a>
\n Adding insulation can help keep heating bills down.<\/span>
\n irin-k\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Go fully electric<\/h2>\n

Almost everything in our house is now electric, including our heating, cooking and car. This makes environmental sense because electricity can easily be generated from low-emission sources, whereas gas, petrol and diesel can only really come from extracting and refining fossil fuels<\/a>. In the UK, we generate electricity from a range of sources including solar, wind, tidal, and from burning gas. <\/p>\n

Currently, close to 50%<\/a> of the electricity on the national grid is from renewable sources. Providing heat from a heat pump has about 70% lower greenhouse gas emissions, compared with heat from a gas boiler<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As well as reducing emissions, electrification can reduce bills. Our heat pump replaced an old and relatively inefficient gas boiler, and our annual heating bill has fallen by about 10%. Though electricity is more expensive than gas, heat pumps can reduce bills because for every unit of electrical power they consume, they deliver between two and four times that in heat. <\/p>\n

A well-designed and carefully installed system will improve performance. We upgraded our insulation at the same time, and in winter closed off the spare room completely. An added bonus of full electrification is that there\u2019s no need to pay a gas standing charge, which can save about \u00a3128 per year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Another thing to consider is using materials that reduce need for heating \u2013 for instance, double glazing. And try to minimise your demand for energy as much as possible, then install the smallest system which meets that demand. We\u2019ve found that doing all of this leads to a warmer, nicer and cheaper home.<\/p>\n

Stuart Walker is a research fellow in sustainabilty assessment<\/em><\/p>\n

\n \"air<\/a>
\n Heat pumps can bring down annual heating bills.<\/span>
\n Wozzie\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Increase your energy payments<\/h2>\n

The conflict in the Gulf is just the latest shock to the energy supply chain. And the tricky thing with supply chains is disruption takes time to be felt. Even if a peace deal sticks, consumers and businesses can still expect higher prices to ripple through the energy market for months.<\/p>\n

As such, think about the behavioural economics of what\u2019s known as \u201cintertemporal choice\u201d<\/a> \u2013 your spending over time. People often excessively discount the future and focus on the present when choosing how to spend money. This is known as \u201cpresent bias\u201d. <\/p>\n

Today, there are widespread expectations of higher energy prices, but (for now) they remain around pre-war prices. In the future \u2013 when the war is over \u2013 there will be widespread expectations of lower prices, but the current disruptions will still be rippling through the system. This mismatch between expectations and reality could leave people with a nasty surprise when their bill comes through.<\/p>\n

So, pay it forward. Don\u2019t fall into the trap of present bias. If you can, increase your energy bill payments today. Economists call this \u201csmoothing out\u201d your consumption. When higher bills bite, you\u2019ll be (psychologically) better off for it.<\/p>\n

Stuart Mills is a lecturer in economics<\/em><\/p>\n

4. Sort out any draughts<\/h2>\n

In our home, we have removed the fireplace, blocked it completely and insulated inside it to cut out draughts. As it is now not so draughty, the heating isn\u2019t required as much and we\u2019re not losing heat through the chimney stack.<\/p>\n

This has improved indoor air quality<\/a>, partly because we no longer have to dispose of ashes and don\u2019t have to do extra cleaning after fires. This is an indirect saving that some may not realise.<\/p>\n

Another benefit is that we\u2019re not exposing ourselves to particulate air pollution that results from open or stove-based fires. Home heating contributes significantly to urban air quality, and my motivation has been to improve both indoor and outdoor air quality<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also not storing or buying and transporting fuel \u2013 another cost saving. I have bought a cargo ebike to commute to work, carrying my children and their belongings. It also has a bread basket on the front, which is fantastic for shopping and carrying bags. This has cut my short car trips.<\/p>\n

We are fortunate to live in an area with good cycling infrastructure. I am aware these choices are not an option for everyone, especially those in rented or temporary accommodation. <\/p>\n

Yvonne Ryan is an associate professor in environmental science<\/em><\/p>\n

5. Crack on with home improvements<\/h2>\n

A good way to protect yourself against rising bills next winter is to crack on now with projects to make your home more energy efficient. One option is to stop the heat you have paid for escaping through your windows and doors. <\/p>\n

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that upgrading your windows could save up to \u00a3140 a year<\/a>. But research has shown<\/a> that, while households frequently research the options and get quotes, they often stall at the final decision on a project and fail to go ahead. <\/p>\n

One reason for this is over-reacting to \u201csludge\u201d \u2013 the barriers that increase uncertainty and effort, such as difficulty finding information and contractors. This can overwhelm our understanding of the benefits of going ahead, leaving us stuck with the status quo.<\/p>\n

But the good news is, it is perfectly possible to override these behavioural biases. Rising and volatile fuel bills may be the nudge we need to do that.<\/p>\n

Jonquil Lowe is a visiting academic in economics<\/em><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Stuart Walker receives funding from the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment. He is affiliated with Hope Valley Climate Action. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Farooq Sher, Jonquil Lowe, Stuart Mills, and Yvonne Ryan do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Monkey Business Images\/Shutterstock Rising prices are putting pressure on people to try and use less energy. But what are the most effective ways of cutting bills? We asked five experts for their practical advice. 1. Insulate your home Upgrading loft insulation to current standards, typically 27\u201330cm thick for mineral wool, improves energy efficiency, comfort and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}