The energy price cap increased again this month, leaving many Britons affected searching for ways to keep costs low while maintaining comfort during the cold spell. Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert (MSE) team has shared a tip on how to do just this – and it’ll only set you back 4p per week.
Heating the human not the home is a common mantra in cost-saving measures, and there are multiple ways people can do this.
One way, according to the MSE team, is to purchase a heated gilet. MSE said the item can be purchased for £50, which includes a battery pack, but costs as little as 4p per week to run.
Owners of the gilet can charge the battery up via a USB. One reader wrote into the team after following the tip, explaining how she feels it’s “cheaper” to charge the battery than run the heating.
Louise said: “I have a heated gilet which I bought for lockdown when sitting outside. You use it with a charging pack which charges like a mobile phone. I now wear it in the house during the day and just turn it on as I feel chilly. Keeps my core really warm. Much cheaper to charge the pack than run the heating I feel.”
Other items that may be cheaper to run than the heating include electric blankets, heated insoles and USB powered gloves.
However, the team pointed out that these tips are aimed at people at a point where they can cut back on heating and are searching for ways to keep warm. There are instances when reducing heating can be detrimental to both health and the home.
For example, it may be dangerous for older people, or those with asthma and other health conditions to cut back on central heating.
In other instances, lack of central heating can lead to frozen pipes or dampness in the home. So, it’s important to check if it’s safe to cut back before making any decisions.
The energy regulator Ofgem increased the price cap by 1.2% on January 1, raising bills for households on standard variable tariffs.
This means between January 1 to March 31, 2025, energy bills for a typical duel-fuel household who pay by direct debit average £1,738 per year, up from £1,717.
The energy price cap is updated quarterly and limits the amount suppliers can charge per unit of energy but does not cap total bills, as charges are based on actual usage.
Price cap and fixed tariffs industry analyst Cornwall Insight predicts that the price cap could rise again in April 2025 to £1,762.
