Scots can save £300 a year on energy and beat winter bills rise with these tips

Home Energy Scotland has issued a series of pointers to help families potentially save hundreds of pounds on energy costs.

Households across Scotland can beat the incoming fuel bills hike by following a series of simple energy-saving strategies, experts say.

Energy bills are set to soar from October 1 as the price cap set by regulator Ofgem goes up by 10 per cent. It means people living in a typical flat could pay £1400 annually on energy from next month, rising to £2400 for Scots living in a typical detached house.

But advice service Home Energy Scotland, which is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Energy Saving Trust, has shared fresh tips to save up to £330 a year on energy bills this year. The organisation is dedicated to providing Scots with free, expert advice on keeping their homes warm and affordable to heat.

Their three top tips are:

1. Turn down your thermostat

If you are warm enough, try turning your thermostat down by one degree, which could save you around £90 a year. According to the World Health Organisation, the lowest comfortable temperature for most people is between 18°C and 21°C. If you can go from 21 to 18 degrees, you could save £260.

2. Four-minute showers

It may seem all to brief, but experts say cutting your shower time down to four minutes is a cash-saver, potentially saving you up to £25 a year per person. By comparison, the average bath uses about 80 litres of water while a four-minute shower produces about 36 litres.

It comes as the cost of hot water has been soaring. Less hot water also means fewer carbon emissions for those who want to be more environmentally friendly.

3. Switch appliances off properly

Switching appliances off instead of using standby and idle mode could save you £45 a year. Studies have found the average amount of energy consumed by gadgets on standby or in a non-active state can be anything between 9 per cent and 16 per cent of a home's total energy bill.

More advice is on Home Energy Scotland's website. However, they encourage anyone concerned about their energy bills to seek free tailored advice and support from its local advisors.

Top news stories today

• Female killer now living as man in jail
• Gangster Lyons prison death to be probed
• Ex shopkeeper exposed as drugs kingpin
• Abortion buffer zones come into force

Mark Macleod, the group's fuel poverty manager, said: “We know the energy price cap rise could hit household budgets hard. That’s why we’ve curated a series of simple tips to help you save money. Taking small actions around your home can add up to help reduce energy use and bills this winter.

“No matter how you heat and power your home and whether you own or rent it, we encourage anyone concerned about their energy bills to contact our advisors for tailored advice. We can be reached by free phone on 0808 808 2282 or via the contact form on our website, homeenergyscotland.org.

Harry Mayers, Head of Home Energy Scotland, said: “If you need help to stay warm this winter, we encourage you to get in touch as soon as possible. Our local advisors can tell you about ways to make your home warmer and more affordable to heat – not all energy saving measures are expensive and time consuming.

“They can also explore funding available, check if you’re eligible for any benefits and they can give you specialist advice if you need additional support.”

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.