State pensioners who've lost £300 Winter Fuel Payment urged to 'unscrew lightbulbs'

An easy swap could see state pensioners who've lost the £300 Winter Fuel Payment save energy use by up to 80 per cent this winter According to the experts, the easiest and most effective change you can make to help make up for the £300 loss from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ).

According to the experts, the easiest and most effective change you can make to help cut the cost of your electric bill during the long dark winter is by switching to LED light bulbs. Compared to traditional incandescent bulbs and even compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, LEDs use significantly less energy, last longer and generate less heat.

The Energy Saving Trust experts explained: "You can save up to £3 per year for every traditional halogen bulb you switch to a similarly bright LED bulb, equivalent to around 5kg of CO2 emissions. If the average UK household replaced all of their bulbs with LEDs, it would cost about £100 and save about £35 a year on bills."

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MakeMyHouseGreen also agree that swapping out your old lightbulbs could make a big difference to your energy consumption. CEO Llewellyn Kinch believes lighting can significantly impact energy use, especially in small spaces. He said: “LED bulbs use up to 85% less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs and last longer, making them a cost-effective choice.

"By switching to LED lighting, you could see substantial reductions in energy bills, on the cheap. What’s more is that they’re available in warm tones, maintaining a cosy winter atmosphere without the energy drain." If every home in the UK made the switch, the Energy Saving Trust explains, carbon emissions in the UK would drop by 1.7 million tonnes every year.

LEDs also last far longer than traditional bulbs, so you won't be forking out for new ones anywhere near as regularly.