The big question is why have our gas and electricity bills gone up so much from this month? As countries recover from the pandemic, demand for gas has increased, but could not be met due to a shortage in supply, causing gas prices to increase in 2021. The problem was made worse by renewable sources like wind and solar producing less power and cold weather during the winter months forcing more people to turn their heating up, as well as the crisis in Ukraine and the Russian gas supply to Europe.

As we head towards a more sustainable net-zero future, reducing our energy use will be critical, not just for the environment, but for our pockets! With household bills rising dramatically in 2022 and set to continue, how can you keep your energy costs to a minimum? Heating and hot water account for about 55% of a household's energy bills according to the Energy Saving Trust (April 2020).  With the average home's energy bill having increased massively this month, an even bigger chunk of money is set to be spent every year heating your home. So what can you do to keep your energy costs to a minimum? Did you know that items left on standby, or left on when not in use, account for one-third of household energy bills, new research has revealed. According to EcoCostSavings, leaving your TV on standby all year is still going to cost you around £11. If you own two or three TVs in your house, that could become £24 or £36 per year. Bigger TVs will consume much more! Multiply that by other devices in your home and the costs rack up across the year.

What can you do to keep your overall energy costs to a minimum?

Change your laundry loads

Half-load settings save very little energy, so a full load is much more energy-efficient. Do less but larger loads instead.

Do you have an eco-setting?

On your dishwasher, boiler or washing machine, the eco setting heats water more slowly, using less energy. You get the same results; it just takes a little longer.

Standby mode sucks power!

Unless switched off at the wall, appliances like your TV continue to use energy, costing the average UK home £50 per year. By using Hive Plugs you can switch off at the wall with a quick tap of the app – no need to reach behind the telly!

Making a brew

When making tea or coffee, most of us fill the kettle right up. Filling your kettle just to the level you need, could save you up to a third of the energy you have been using.

LED light bulbs

Modern LEDs are very efficient and last longer than traditional light bulbs. Smart LED bulbs like Hive Lights can help you save even more energy as you can switch them on and off remotely.

Nuke stuff!

You’ll save energy using the microwave as it’s much quicker than the oven. Slow cookers are also one of the most energy-efficient kitchen appliances and can be left to cook throughout the day so can often save you time in the evenings also!

Unplug your chargers

Across the country, people are unnecessarily over-charging their mobile phones, typically reaching full capacity soon after you have fallen asleep. It could also save you about £60 a year on your electricity bills if you remember to unplug them at night.

Close your curtains at night

During the day it's important to try to use as much natural light as possible. At night, close your curtains to help retain the heat. This helps keep the room warm.

Turn down the temperature

Unless you have an old machine, there’s often no need to run it at any higher than 30°C. Same clean, less energy. Simples!