Concern Over Energy Bills During Cold Snap

The recent cold snap has left many concerned about how they are going to be able to pay their energy bills. A recent survey found that over a third of residential property owners (38 percent) are concerned about how they will pay their bills this month, after the cold snap meant they had to turn their heating up.

The survey was carried out by Which? Switch and found that 65 percent of consumers have at least been thinking about their fuel bills more after the freezing temperatures we have experienced across the UK for the last few weeks.

The survey looked at the ways in which homeowners attempted to cut down on how much heating they used. 84 percent said that they wore extra clothes, 73 percent said they had hot drinks, and 40 percent used filling meals to stay warm. 39 percent of homeowners said that they tried to improve energy efficiency by blocking draughts around windows and doors, and only 31 percent had looked at switching energy providers.

The survey shows that homeowners are concentrating on using their heating less, rather than making home more energy efficient. If they were to focus on energy efficient measures such as double glazing and insulation, heat would not escape so quickly, allowing homeowners to turn down their thermostat and ultimately save money on energy bills.

Which? Switch have also stated that customers may be able to save a few hundred pounds simply by making a switch to a better energy tariff.