UK households who have wooden floors urged to get rid of them before January

UK households who have wooden floorboards and floors have been urged to consider switching them to carpets before January. The Ofgem price cap will rise by £21 in January, bringing fresh misery for energy bill customers and payers up and down the country.

Another way of keeping your home warm is to invest in carpets. However much you love the aesthetic of wooden floors, there is no doubt that carpets are warmer - particularly if you can feel any draughts between the floorboards.

Eco Experts Editor, Roland Ellison, said: “With so many different government funding schemes available in different parts of the UK, applying can be a complicated area for consumers to navigate. More needs to be done by the government and scheme administrators to make low-carbon technology funding easier for consumers to understand and apply for.

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"If the government wants people to take advantage of these funding schemes, they should ensure that they are simple to access and to adopt.” Managing Director of Project Solar UK, Tom Armstrong, said: "There remains a clear gap between awareness and widespread adoption of low carbon technologies. The challenge for government, industry leaders, and businesses alike is to bridge this gap—by effectively communicating the benefits, and simplifying the process for consumers to transition to cleaner energy.”

James Longley, managing director at Utility Bidder has commented on whether Brits should stick with the price cap rate and when is the best time to fix your energy. He said: “Earlier today, energy regulator Ofgem announced that the energy price cap will rise from £1,717 to £1,738 in January - an increase of 1.2%. This announcement will have caused financial anxiety amongst thousands of people across the UK and left them with many energy-related questions. One of the biggest decisions people often have to make when it comes to energy tariffs is whether they should fix it or not, which is why we wanted to help.

“So, should you stick with the price cap rate, and when is the best time to fix your energy? “In 2024, more than 90% of UK homes pay the standard tariff and the full price cap. Fixed rates, however, help give customers peace of mind and provide lots of choice in terms of start and end dates; this is coupled with exit fees and the lost benefit of falling energy prices when you are already under contract.

“Of the major energy companies offering fixed rate deals as of Autumn 2024, the majority will offer fixed deals to existing customers, with a large majority offering incentives to new customers as well – though some prove more complicated than others. It would be recommended that you look into and compare comparison sites to find the best deals for fixing your energy, and this should be only considered if you are locking in the cheapest rate.

“Whatever your next cause of action, electricity and gas users should try, where possible, to limit their usage during peak hours of the day. Using any utilities throughout the night will prove cheaper, and you can set timers for appliances such as dishwashers. Other lifestyle changes which you will reap the benefits of include minimal tweaks such as switching your appliances off when you’re not using them, rather than leaving them on standby, or more long-term solutions include removing your gas boiler or installing solar panels.”