Summer has barely ended, but a typical household will be paying more for their heating this year than they did last winter unless they take steps to reduce how much natural gas they use.
Ofgem, the regulatory body for electricity and gas in the UK, announced that the energy price cap was increasing and that the bills for a typical household would increase by four per cent, an average annual increase of £60.
Part of the reason for this is the continued supply issues around the Strait of Hormuz, which have affected oil and gas prices for most of 2026 but will become a bigger issue in Europe and the UK over the winter, even if the situation dramatically changes.
This means that heating your home is likely to cost more than it did last year unless you make changes to cut how much gas you use.
Thankfully, a few simple changes, keeping on top of your maintenance before the peak winter season and being proactive in contacting an emergency gas engineer if you have a problem, will not only save you a lot of stress but also a lot of money.
Here are some top tips to save yourself money on your heating bill this winter.
Turn Down The Boiler’s Water Temperature
Modern boilers have thermostat controls that affect how hot the water flows through the system when it is turned on. However, this setting is often turned up way too high, wasting energy whenever hot water is needed for the taps or the radiators.
This is a particular problem for combi boilers, which heat water at the point of use, and it is important to find a sweet spot where the boiler runs hot enough to work but not so hot that you’re wasting gas and therefore money.
For most combi boilers in most houses, that sweet spot is between 50 and 55 degrees Celsius for water and between 65 and 70 degrees Celsius for radiators. Most combi boilers will let you adjust both separately.
Turn On Your Boiler At The Latest Opportunity
If you have a conventional boiler, consisting of a supply tank, hot water storage cylinder and boiler units, then you are likely used to switching off your boiler during the summer outside of maintenance cycles and relying on the storage cylinder for hot water.
In this instance, there is a fine art to knowing exactly when to turn your boiler on exactly when you need it, and this moment will depend on who you are, your home and your particular circumstances.
Typically, the best time to turn it on is when the autumnal summer weather of early September decisively ends, usually during the last week or two of the month, although in some cases you can wait until October.
Take Advantage Of Smart Controls
Most modern boilers are not only fitted with heating controls to fine-tune your heating system, but they often have smart thermostats involved that allow you to schedule your heating system to come on as and when you need it to.
Instead of leaving your boiler on low all day, or turning it off and on so frequently that you offset any energy benefits, use your schedule and thermostat to ensure that your radiators come on when you feel cold but do not waste energy when you are not at home or it is already warm enough.
Check Your Insulation
For many people, increased energy bills are not an issue with inefficient boilers but are caused by losing heat through insufficient insulation and draughts.
Improving your draught proofing and looking into ways to enhance your insulation are excellent ways to ensure that the heat your central heating system generates remains in your home, allowing you to reduce the stress on your boiler and the gas it uses.
Do Not Neglect Your Boiler Maintenance
If you have not already organised a boiler service this year, do so as soon as possible; winter is a busy time for gas engineers with emergency repairs, and it could cost you a lot more in the long run if you do not get your boiler checked.
Can Replacing The Boiler Save Money?
If you have a boiler that is over ten years old, it might possibly be worth replacing it with a brand new, highly efficient unit, even if you opt for a like-for-like swap rather than a heat pump.
If you are thinking of a replacement, let your boiler engineer know and they will be able to tell you if you will actually save money on your bills doing so.