UK households are being encouraged to keep their curtains open during the day in October as a way to save money on energy bills. The advice comes as many Britons begin turning up their thermostats in response to autumn weather, and as global energy prices have risen sharply following the aftermath of US and Israeli attacks on Iran earlier this year, with Tehran severely disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation.
Price cap rises and forecast
Ofgem's energy price cap rose by 4% from October 1. Experts have warned it could rise considerably more in January, reflecting the impact of the war in the Middle East. Cornwall Insight's latest forecast predicts the cap, which sets the maximum amount suppliers are allowed to charge domestic consumers on a standard default tariff per kilowatt hour of energy used, will rise by an additional 16% on January 1.
While households are advised never to compromise on keeping their homes warm enough and to turn on the heating when needed, some small changes could help retain heat without having to crank up the thermostat. The BBC talked to families about their hacks for keeping the cooler autumn temperatures at bay.
Tips from families and experts
Rebecca, 44, from Hertfordshire, shared a couple of ways she keeps warm when the mercury drops, including harnessing sunlight. "If it's sunny outside, open the curtains so the sun heats the room, then shut them when the sun sets to keep the heat in," she told the outlet.
Experts from the Energy Saving Trust have highlighted 10 tips for changes households can make around the home that they say could save £313 a year in Great Britain (GB) and £368 a year in Northern Ireland (NI), which has a different energy market from the rest of the UK. The organisation highlights how tweaks to your lifestyle, such as taking care not to overfill your kettle, only putting your dishwasher on when it's full, and avoiding using the tumble dryer can result in surprisingly large savings over time.
Government support and Warm Home Discount
The Government previously highlighted steps it is taking to support British households over the colder autumn and winter months, including cutting VAT on electricity bills from October, in addition to £150 of costs removed from bills earlier this year, pledging to keep looking at ways families can be protected from unaffordable bills.
Households may be entitled to the Warm Home Discount, which can help with the cost of heating your home. The scheme provides a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill if you meet certain eligibility criteria, which differs slightly between England and Wales and Scotland. You may be eligible if all of the following applied on August 23, 2026: your energy supplier is part of the scheme, you (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits, and your name (or your partner's) is on the electricity bill. Further information is available on the GOV.UK website.
