UK households urged to make vital energy bill check ahead of clocks springing forward this weekend
BRITS have been urged to make a simple check before the clocks change this weekend, to avoid overpaying on household bills.
Spring is now upon us, and as the clocks are set to move forward at 1am on Sunday, March 30, many of us will be rejoicing at the prospect of longer days and more sunlight.
The change, which happens every year, marks the start of British Summer Time, and means that Brits will lose an hour of sleep this weekend.
Introduced back in 1916, the idea behind the clock change was to give farmers an extra hour of sunlight in the summer months, to help boost crop production.
However, despite these benefits, the practice also has a huge downside, which can affect your energy bills.
Energy experts have warned the 20 million Brits who are on Time of Use tariffs to adapt their usage following the clocks change, to make the most of cheaper electricity.
If you are on a Time of Use tariff, this means that electricity will cost you more in peak hours than off peak hours.
Therefore, it is best to wait to use appliances either late at night or early in the morning, as this will cost you less.
For example, some energy companies will charge less for usage between 12am and 7am.
However, Time of Use tariffs do not take the clocks change into account, so the cheaper tariff time will jump forward one hour, for example, to between 1am and 8am following the clock change.
Off-peak hours vary from supplier to supplier, so it’s best to check the website of your energy provider to see what time you need to adjust your usage to.
Kara Gammell, personal finance expert at MoneySuperMarket, told The Sun: “If you’re on a time-of-use tariff, also known as Economy 7, you’ll need to make some adjustments when the clocks go forward this weekend.
“These types of energy tariffs give you cheaper electricity rates during off-peak times, usually between midnight and 7am, and higher electricity rates during the day.
“But smart meters don’t recognise when the clocks spring forward to British Summer Time (BST) as they remain on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), so you’ll need to adjust any timers you have set on the appliances around your home, such as your hot water tank or washing machine.
“You should also check the terms of your contract or visit your energy supplier’s website to double check your off-peak times, to be sure you’re getting the best value from your tariff.”
Smart Meter Check
Brits have also been urged to check their smart meters, ahead of energy bills rising next week.
Millions of UK homes use smart meters to automatically send information about their energy usage to suppliers.
However, according to data from Ofgem, around one in 10 smart meters are thought not to be working properly, meaning that people could be getting over charged for their bills.
Chris Shaw, chief executive at Utility Bidder said: “There may also be communication issues with your energy supplier due to the confusing readings of the faulty meter.
“This could then lead to you relying on an estimation from previous bills which could cause frustration and financial concern.”
Common myths around energy consumption
Gwilym Snook, appliance expert at AO.com, quashed some commonly believed myths around appliances and energy consumption.
MYTH – Your fridge freezer is cheaper to run when empty
A commonly held belief is that your fridge freezer is more energy-efficient when it’s empty as there isn’t anything to cool. However, the reverse is true – Your fridge will operate most effectively when all its shelves are well-stocked.
MYTH – Washing your clothes at higher temperatures cleans them better
Most households across the UK wouldn’t trust to wash their clothes at 30°C as they wouldn’t believe it is an adequate temperature.
But in fact, 30°C is more than sufficient for most of your clothes and will significantly help to reduce your energy costs by up to 50 per cent when compared to a 40°C wash.
MYTH – Tumble dryers aren’t eco-friendly
Older models of tumble dryers were indeed energy guzzlers yet this myth that tumble dryers can’t be energy-efficient has been blown out of the water in recent years.
Enter the heat pump tumble dryer, a specially designed appliance that recycles warm air to dry your clothes at a much cheaper rate than their older counterparts.
Did you know that running this dryer will cost 63p a cycle on average? A small fee which can be reduced even further this winter by looking to dry your clothes between 10pm and 8am during off-peak electricity hours.
MYTH – Boiling water in your kettle is always energy-efficient
While kettles are energy-efficient appliances, did you know it’s easy to waste energy when bringing it to a boil accidentally? This can be done by filling your kettle to the brim every time you’re brewing up.
Instead, try to boil only the amount of water you need this winter. In the long run this small hack can help you save your money!
MYTH – Energy-efficient appliances don’t make a difference
It’s often believed that the A-G energy rating scale doesn’t make any difference to your overall energy consumption.
This isn’t the case. Energy-efficient appliances such as those with high A ratings can significantly reduce your energy bills when compared to older, less efficient models.
For example, replacing your old fridge-freezer with a newer energy-efficient one could save up to £100 a year on your electricity bills, which in the long run helps it pay for itself!
From April 1, the energy bill of a typical household will rise by £111, to £1849 a year if they use electricity and gas and pay by Direct Debit.
So it’s really important to make sure your readings are accurate.