As autumn tightens its grip and the clocks turn back, a familiar human question returns to British homes: how to stay warm without spending what cannot be spared. The answers gathered here are modest ones, a thicker duvet, a draught excluder, a foil-backed radiator, a few thin layers of wool and cotton, yet they carry the weight of a country watching winter bills climb toward a January that many dread. Small acts of care, passed from grandmother to grandchild, meet a larger economic chill, and the story asks what dignity looks like when warmth itself has become a calculation.
Before You Turn Up the Thermostat: Practical Ways to Keep Your Home Warmer for Longer
Rodney Winchester, 65, says he is cutting back on food and keeps getting ill in the cold while worrying he cannot afford to keep heating on.
"It's so scary," says a man who must heat his home to stay well
Mark
Most of this is small stuff, socks and bubble wrap. Why does it matter?
Mimi
Because of January. A forecast 16% rise, £276 a year, is the biggest in four years, so small savings start to count.
Mark
Which tip surprised you?
Mimi
The blanket under the mattress. Rebecca says her nan swore by it, and it's aimed at draughts.
Mark
Are all these tips equally proven?
Luke
No. The electric blanket cost of 2p to 8p an hour comes from Which? testing, and the 35% radiator heat loss is Sophie Burr's figure. Much of the rest is personal experience, like Natalie's thermal layers.
Mark
Any safety catches?
Mimi
Plenty. Unplug electric blankets, don't pair them with hot water bottles, and skip the open oven door around small children.
Luke
And the forecast is Cornwall Insight's prediction, not a confirmed price rise.
Mark
What about people who can't cut back further?
Mimi
Rodney Winchester must keep his heating on for his health, and he's already cutting food spending.
Luke
The article doesn't say how many people are in his position, only that 9.4% of English households were in fuel poverty in 2025.
Il Polso
- A forecast rise of £276 a year, the steepest in four years, is landing just as the first cold winds arrive.
- Families are improvising with blankets, hot water bottles and oven doors because turning the heating up feels like a risk they cannot take.
- Experts are racing to offer cheap fixes, from draught-proofing and radiator foil to off-peak tariffs and frost settings, before the bills arrive.
- For older and vulnerable households the stakes are sharper, with one 65-year-old cutting back on food and falling ill in the cold while fearing the next bill.
- Support schemes such as the Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel Payment are being pointed to as a route out, but whether they reach everyone in time remains uncertain.
As autumn tightens its grip and the clocks turn back, a familiar human question returns to British homes: how to stay warm without spending what cannot be spared. The answers gathered here are modest ones, a thicker duvet, a draught excluder, a foil-backed radiator, a few thin layers of wool and cotton, yet they carry the weight of a country watching winter bills climb toward a January that many dread. Small acts of care, passed from grandmother to grandchild, meet a larger economic chill, and the story asks what dignity looks like when warmth itself has become a calculation.
As the UK braced for a weekend of wind and rain, and with the clocks about to go back, BBC News asked families and experts how to keep homes warm without turning the heating up too early. The tips are small and practical, but they arrive under a worrying shadow: a sharp forecast rise in energy bills in January.
The advice starts with the body. Several thin layers trap heat better than one thick one, and families are finding cheap thermal clothing makes a real difference. Warm, slow-cooked meals and a bit of movement in the kitchen help too. In the bedroom, a winter duvet rated 10.5 tog or higher, a blanket tucked under the mattress, and a carefully filled hot water bottle can take the chill off the night. Electric blankets, which experts say cost only a few pence an hour, come with safety rules that should not be skipped.
Heat is also a matter of doors, curtains and draughts. Closing doors keeps warmth in a room, sunlit curtains help during the day, and towels or stuffed socks can block gaps. Sealing leaks on windy days, leaving vents unblocked to avoid damp, and using foil or thermal curtains on single glazing all stretch what warmth there is. Heating stays part of the picture: experts warn against going without it entirely, and suggest bleeding radiators, raising the thermostat in small steps, and using frost settings when away. Libraries and community centres offer free warm spaces, some with hot drinks.
Behind the advice lies a harder reality. Forecasters expect a £276 rise in a typical annual bill, and nearly one in ten English households were already in fuel poverty last year. Food banks report particular concern for families with children, people with health conditions and older people. Rodney Winchester, 65, needs heating all winter for his health. He says he has been cutting back on food and keeps falling ill in the cold, and he admits to being frightened about what comes next. Charities urge anyone struggling to check eligibility for the Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel Payment, and to talk to their supplier about repayment plans, before the cold deepens.
As the UK braced for a chilly weekend of strong winds and heavy rain, and with the clocks about to go back, BBC News asked families and experts how they keep their homes warm without turning up the heating too early. The tips are small and practical, but they arrive against a worrying backdrop: a forecast jump in energy bills in January.
Start with the body. The British Heart Foundation recommends several thin layers of clothing rather than one thick one, because layers trap heat. Natalie, 29, has swapped some of her at-home clothes for supermarket thermal leggings and tops and says it has made such a difference. Amber Waring, 27, from Devon, eats warm meals such as stews and pasta bakes, and dances round the kitchen with her toddler while they cook.
Then the bed. Some supermarkets sell winter duvets for under £20, and the advice is to look for 10.5 tog or higher. Rebecca, 44, from Hertfordshire, puts a blanket under her mattress to stop draughts, a habit passed on by her nan. Others lay a blanket on top of the mattress, under the bedsheet. Hot water bottles can warm a bed, but check the expiry date. NHS Scotland advises letting kettle water cool for a few minutes, filling the bottle only two-thirds full, squeezing out the air before sealing it, and not holding it directly against the skin.
Emily Seymour, energy editor at Which?, calls an electric blanket one of the cheapest ways to stay warm. Which? testing found it typically costs 2p to 8p an hour on the highest setting. The London Fire Brigade says to unplug it before getting into bed unless it has a thermostat control, not to use it alongside a hot water bottle, and to replace it every 10 years.
Daylight and doors matter too. Rebecca opens her curtains when it is sunny and closes them at sunset. Keeping doors closed holds heat in a room, and curtains or blankets over them add insulation. Lianne Macfarlane, 40, from Cheshire, leaves the oven door open after cooking to warm the kitchen, though that is unwise with small children around. Seymour says rugs and soft furnishings help. Elin Davis, 30, from South Wales, finds her log burner cheaper than central heating, though she notes logs can cost quite a bit.
Draughts are the next target. Towels, or socks stuffed into tights, can serve as excluders. Seymour suggests hunting for leaks on windy days and sealing them with foam strips or sealant, or calling a professional, plus chimney excluders for unused fireplaces. Extractor fans and purpose-built ventilation should not be blocked, and windows should not stay shut all the time, to prevent damp. For single glazing, Sophie Burr of National Energy Action suggests secondary glazing or thermal curtains; bubble wrap on the glass is a cheaper option.
Seymour would not recommend going without heating at all, citing health risks and freezing pipes. Her suggestions: check for off-peak tariffs, bleed radiators, raise the thermostat in small steps, and keep furniture off radiators. Burr says radiator foil, or kitchen foil, reflects heat back into the room, since about 35% of radiator heat is lost through walls. Cora Harrison, 34, from Wakefield, heats only the rooms her family uses and keeps a low setting on when away. Radiators with a snowflake symbol on the valve have a frost protection setting. An engineer can also lower a combi boiler's flow temperature during a service. Libraries and community centres often serve as free warm spaces, some with free hot drinks.
The pressure is real. Cornwall Insight forecast last month that a typical bill will rise by £276 a year in January, a 16% increase and the biggest in four years. Government figures put 9.4% of English households in fuel poverty in 2025. Emily Jeremy of Manchester South Central Foodbank calls rising bills particularly concerning for families with children, people with health conditions and the elderly.
Rodney Winchester, 65, from Thetford, has health conditions that require heating all winter, and he is extremely worried about paying for it. He says he has cut back on food and keeps getting ill in the cold. "It's so scary," he says. StepChange urges anyone struggling to check eligibility for the Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel Payment and to ask their supplier about affordable repayment plans or support schemes.
Citazioni salienti
I wouldn't recommend not having your heating on at all.— Emily Seymour, energy editor, Which?
It's so scary.— Rodney Winchester, 65, Thetford
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