Household energy bills increased by 54% in April 2022 and are set to increase by a further 80% in October 2022. A further large price rise in January is also widely expected. So, we wanted to understand who is best at energy saving.
Northerners have a bit of a reputation for being thrifty. But is it deserved? A new survey suggests not! It reveals that those of us who live up north are much less likely to adopt a consistent approach to reducing energy bills compared with people in the South.
The survey, of over 1,000 adults carried out by HUG, was designed to understand which regions are most likely to adopt energy saving tips to reduce their household bills.
People living in the South are statistically more likely to adopt energy saving initiatives to reduce energy consumption and save money. 27% of respondents in the South said they would be swapping baths for showers while a further 17% indicated showers will be shorter or taken at their local gym.
Turning the thermostat down by one degree is the most adopted energy saving tactic where 52% of respondents in the South and 44% in the North have adopted this new habit. Surprisingly in both regions, only a small percentage of people are switching to a 20 degree washing machine cycle, with respondents citing a concern over cleanliness of clothes as the key factor.
In the North, 34% of people are avoiding the tumble dryer yet 60% cited they may need to revert back to usage as Winter draws in. Wearing warm fluffy socks is high on the agenda in the North and seen as a fun yet effective way to stay warm this winter.
Kevin Carney, Managing Director at HUG said “People are having a really challenging time right now with costs rising and no sign of a solution to alleviate the burden of energy prices on consumers. Adopting energy saving concepts today can really make a difference and allow people to carry on tomorrow.”
The table highlights the percentage of respondents who have adopted the energy saving tips since April to conserve energy and save money.
Top tips for saving energy:
- If you are reluctant to turn your heating on, make sure to wrap up and and have a hot drink to keep you warm.
- Stop draughts in your home. You could even invest in a draught stopper under your doors to keep the heat in.
- Make sure to keep windows shut.
- Time your heating. Set a timer for when you know you will be home and use the heating. Do not have it set for when you are out or the heat will go to waste.
- Turn off all switches by the plug socket when not in use, this can save around £55 per year.
- Make the most when washing clothes in the washing machine and put them on a 20 degree wash, this will save around £50 per year.
- Avoid using the tumble dryer.
- Swap your bath for a shower. A shower uses around ⅓ of the amount of water used compared to a bath.
- Avoid overfilling your kettle when boiling it to save around £15 per year.
- Run your large appliances off peak. Off peak times vary however it is typically 10pm – 8am, therefore do your washing machine or dishwasher load during this time.
- Have your boiler set to heat water on off-peak times. This allows your water to heat up overnight whilst it is cheaper. If you need a boost of hot water during the day then put the peak switch on and wait around 20 minutes before use.
- Have shorter showers or shower at the gym.
- Hand wash your dishes instead of using the dishwasher.
- Switch to LED lights.
- Go into your work office instead of working from home. Save electricity, water and heating by using it all at your work.
About Home Utility Group (HUG) Limited
HUG Limited is an online boiler installation company that strives to transform the heating industry by allowing consumers to simplistically source the boiler they need online and have it fitted within 24 hours. Founded in 2016, the company offers rapid response boiler installation directly to consumers and also in partnership with local authorities]. Based in Leeds, our gas-safe engineers work throughout the United Kingdom installing and servicing boilers. For more information, visit the about us page or follow @huglimited on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
