Millions of pensioners in the UK will lose the £300 winter fuel payment in 2024 due to changes in eligibility rules. As energy costs remain high, an unlikely household item from the 1970s is making a comeback as a cost-effective heating alternative.
Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy, has endorsed electric blankets as a way to stay warm without turning on the boiler. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “If people are worried about their heating, they can stay warm and healthier much more cheaply by snuggling up in electric blankets for a while.” Octopus Energy has distributed about 65,000 free electric blankets to its customers.
The cost of running an electric blanket is just 2p per hour, compared to £1.70 per hour for gas central heating. Jackson claims it can save £300 a year on gas bills. Money expert Martin Lewis also recommended electric blankets in his 2022 newsletter 'Heat the Human Not the Home', as part of a survival guide for the cost of living crisis.
Invented in 1912 by American doctor Sidney Russell to help tuberculosis patients, electric blankets have evolved significantly. Modern versions feature timers, dual controls, and washable materials, making them safer and more practical than ever before.
