Switching on heating leads to winter arguments, survey finds

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Switching on heating leads to winter arguments, survey finds

Fri 6th Nov 2009

Arguments over when to turn the heating on will affect 24 per cent of households this winter, moneysupermarket.com has found.

Worries about paying the bills is a major concern, with 62 per cent of people putting off turning the heating on to save costs and a further 18 per cent admitting that they cannot afford to cover the cost of their fuel bills.

Scott Byrom, utilities manager at moneysupermarket.com, said on average, 40 per cent of annual fuel consumption happens between November and January.

He recommends switching to an online energy deal for the best savings and that shopping around could save an average of £261 a year "as well as keeping those New Year financial headaches to a minimum".

The government recently pledged to help 90,000 households living in fuel poverty, but moneysupermarket.com estimates as many as five million homes are unable to afford their heating bills.

The price comparison site suggests making small changes to save money. By turning down the thermostat one degree, up to ten per cent can be saved from heating bills. And fitting draft excluders to the letterbox, keyholes and gaps in doors can save £25 a year on heating.

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