Tips for reducing your heating bill
It’s important for your health to keep your home warm during winter. You should be able to keep your home at around 18°C.
This might need to be higher if you have a terminal illness or are grieving.
But doing this while also keeping your energy bills manageable isn’t always easy.
This might be more of a problem if you are dealing with changes to your income or outgoings due to a serious health condition. For example, running electrical healthcare equipment or giving up work.
If someone close to you has recently died, you might also be experiencing changes in your financial situation, such as the loss of a second income.
Here we've put together some low-cost tips and advice which could help you keep your home warm and your heating bills down.
Insulate your home
You don’t need to spend lots to improve the insulation in your home.
Seal draughts
Use weatherstripping or caulk to seal gaps around windows and doors. This stops cold air from coming in and warm air from getting out.
Insulate windows
Apply window film or bubble wrap to your windows to reduce heat loss. Heavy curtains or thermal blinds can also help keep the warmth in.
Internal doors
Where possible, make sure to close internal doors, such as to your living room, to help keep the warmth in as much as possible.
Door draught stoppers
Place draught stoppers at the base of doors to block cold air from seeping in. These are quite simple to make at home.
Letter box
Cover your letterbox with card, fabric or an old tea towel if practical. Cold air can drift in here and warmth can be easily lost.
Make use of curtains
Open curtains during the day
Let sunlight in by opening curtains and blinds during the day. The sun’s rays can significantly warm up your living space.
Close curtains at night
Once the sun sets, close your curtains to keep the warmth inside and prevent heat loss through the windows.
Tuck curtains in
If you have a window above a radiator, tuck curtains in to keep warm air inside the room, instead of it getting behind the curtain where it only has one place to go (out the window).
Curtains for external doors
Think about putting a curtain in front of any doors that lead to the outside, or unheated communal spaces like stairwells and halls. Look for a compression rod at the right size, if you can’t or don't want to drill into the wall.
Charity shops often have good quality second hand curtains for reduced prices, as do community selling sites like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace.
Check your radiators
Bleed your radiators
If it feels like your radiator isn’t heating up fully, there might be air trapped inside that is stopping it working properly. Using a radiator key to let some of the water out should solve the problem.
Use radiator reflector panels
If you have a radiator on an external wall that doesn’t have cavity wall insulation, placing foil like reflector panels could help keep the warmth coming into the room.
Normal kitchen foil might work for a while, but as it loses its shine it will become less effective.
Turn off unused radiators
If there are rooms you don't use much, don't spend money heating them. Turn the radiator off and close the door.
Layer-up
Dressing in layers can help you stay warm without relying solely on your heating and can help to save money on your bills
Wear warm clothing
Choose thermal wear, sweaters and cosy socks to keep yourself warm. Look out for low-cost second-hand options in charity shops or online community selling sites like Vinted.
Use blankets
If you’re sitting or lying down a lot, keep blankets close by. Good quality blankets are another item you might find at your local charity shop.
Heat the person not the room
Hot water bottles
Use hot water bottles to warm up your bed before you sleep and keep it near you in the bed through the night.
Heated blankets
A heated blanket over your main duvet can add another layer of warmth, especially through the colder winter nights. It heats such a small area, it is much cheaper than heating your whole house.
Safety warning: People with certain health conditions, particularly those who are nearing the end of their life, have very sensitive skin. Hot water bottles and heated blankets may cause burns unexpectedly, so be careful.
Have a hot drink
It sounds simple, but it works!
Take care of your heating system
Make sure your heating system is making the most of the energy it’s being given.
Regular maintenance
Schedule regular maintenance for your heating system to make sure it’s working well.
See our guidance on safety and maintenance:
Adjust thermostat settings
Lower your thermostat when you’re not at home or during the night. A programmable thermostat can help automate this process.
Reduce your flow temperature
Turning down the temperature of the water coming from your boiler can make your whole system more efficient.
Get a smart meter
Most people in the UK (except Northern Ireland) can get a smart meter installed for free. This might help you monitor more closely how you are using energy and make savings.
Register for a priority list
If you have a health condition that impacts your ability to stay warm, or if you’ve been bereaved, you will likely qualify for the Priority Services Register.
This will mean you get extra support from your energy supplier relating to supply.
Monitor appliances
Check your facts
Get to know how much appliances cost to run. You might be making sacrifices or going to lots of effort to stop using something that doesn’t really impact your bills.
Alternatives to tumble dryers:
You may choose to use a tumble dryer for a number reasons, for example if outside space is limited or if drying clothes indoors is causing damp. But they can be expensive to run, so in some cases, a heated clothes airer might be cheaper.
Make the most of left-over heat
Oven: Using your oven and stovetop can help warm up your kitchen. After baking, leave the oven door open to let the residual heat warm the room. Please be careful if you live with children or pets, as this may be too dangerous.
Dryer: If you use a dryer, you’ll know how much heat they create. Try and make the most of it if you can, by opening doors to other rooms or running it when you know you’ll need the warmth (like the colder nights).
If you are experiencing damp in your home see our information on keeping your home safe for people with terminal illness or after a bereavement.
Block unused rooms
If you’re experiencing problems getting around, there may be places in your home you rarely go. Make sure they’re closed off as much as possible, so you’re not paying for heat you’ll never use.
Close doors
Keep doors to unused rooms closed to prevent heat from escaping into those areas.
Cover doors
Use draught excluders or curtains to stop heat getting under the bottom or sides of doors.
Add rugs and carpets
Insulate floors
Bare floors can make your home cooler. Rugs and carpets give an extra layer of insulation, keeping your floors warmer and reducing heat loss. Look out for low-cost second-hand options at charity shops or community selling sites like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. Bringing rugs or carpets you already own to the most used areas could also help you make the most of the heat.
Staying warm while resting or sleeping
If you’re not well or are low on energy due to grief, you might not be moving about as much. This can make you feel the cold more.
Wear layers
Wearing lots of layers and thermal clothing can help you to stay warm while you’re sitting, resting or sleeping.
Blankets
Layering blankets over your main duvet can be a great help in keeping warmth in while in bed. Also, making sure to put a blanket at the end of your bed over your feet can keep your feet warm and prevent cold air getting in.
Close your bedroom door
Making sure your bedroom door is closed will keep the warmth and heat in your room, which can be lost as the temperature drops during the night.
Draught excluder
A draught excluder at the bottom of your bedroom door adds another layer of protection against heat loss from the room your sleeping in.
Get advice
Struggling to keep your home warm enough or paying your bills can be extremely worrying. It’s something many people who use our palliative care services or bereavement support are facing.
But you’re not alone. If the tips above just don't feel enough, or you’re already experiencing unaffordable bills there is support out there for you.
See our information on:
Make long-term changes
If the smaller changes above don't feel like enough, you may be thinking about making longer term changes, such as home improvements, that will reduce your bills.
Some people are able to apply for grants and discounts to improve how your home, or the things in it, use energy. For example, insulation to help your home stay warmer for longer, or a boiler that uses less gas.
These improvements can cost a lot at first but might help you save money in the future. This could help if you are learning to manage with less income.
Remember that changes to your home may take a long time to be finished. It could also be quite disruptive to your life. This may not be a realistic step if you are very unwell or expect to become unwell quickly.
It’s hard to make big decisions when we are grieving. Talk to someone you can trust before agreeing to anything big. If you don't have a family member or friend to talk to, one of the organisations under Useful contacts.
Help with home improvements
Switching energy company or tariff
You may be able to save money by changing your energy provider or tariff. Most people cannot choose who provides their water.
- Which? have advice on How to switch energy supplier
- If you’re in Northern Ireland, the Consumer Council can help you compare energy prices.
- Citizen’s Advice Consumer Service can help you decide if a deal you are being offered will save you money.
Switch to an off-peak tariff
Some energy companies let you switch to a tariff which charges less at off-peak times (like at night). Find information on Economy 7 tariffs.
Do you disagree with any of these tips? Or would you like to share your experience of keeping your safe and warm at the end of your life or grieving? Let us know.
More information and advice
