After one of the warmest Septembers on record, which saw temperatures rise to an unseasonable 28.1°C on 29 September, the Met Office has said cooler weather is on the horizon.
Yet long-term forecasts looking ahead to the end of October into November suggest that, overall, temperatures will probably remain above average.
The good news is you might be able to avoid switching the heating on for a few days or even weeks.
The bad news is the Energy Price Cap, which controls what we pay for energy when we’re on variable tarriffs, rose by 3.6% at the start of this month and is predicted to rise even more come January 2027.
Per British Gas, the average two- to three-person household is paying about £1,723 per year for gas and electricity, which rises to £2,424 for households with four to five people.
Here, Octopus Energy’s experts have shared some of the ways households can try and keep their bills down:
1. Keep the heat you’ve paid for
Once you’ve turned the heating on, it’s essential to try and trap in that warmth so you’re not having to keep it running all day.
Check your loft insulation (you want around 250mm of the stuff, according to Octopus), fill any draughty gaps around windows or doors, and assess whether your letter box or unused chimney is leaking warm air.
Ahead of the coolest months, bleed your radiators so they run more efficiently and clear any furniture from in front of them so heat can disperse into the room better.
2. Set the flow temperature of your boiler
If you have a gas boiler, check the flow temperature, which controls how hot the water flowing from your boiler to the radiators is.
Octopus’ energy experts suggested that many are set too high by default and advise lowering it to 55-60°C to keep homes warm while trimming bills by around 12%.
It’s also worth getting your boiler serviced annually to ensure it’s running efficiently and safely – especially as an unserviced boiler can waste as much as 10% more energy.
3. Turn your thermostat down by 1°C
It’s also worth thinking about how you use your thermostat, as using it like an on/off switch or “boost” button can actually waste energy, suggested experts, as the system works harder to reheat the space.
“You’ll stay comfier – and use energy more efficiently – by setting it to come on only when you need it and leaving it steady between 18-21°C,” they added.
In fact, turning it down by just one degree could save you up to £145 a year.
4. Use smart controls to heat where and when you need to
Smart thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) can help reduce waste by heating individual rooms to different temperatures.
If you’re mostly at home during the day, schedule heating for occupied rooms only – and if you work from home, closing the door to a smaller room (like a study) lets your body heat warm it naturally over time.
5. Air-dry instead of tumble-drying
Everyday tweaks to how you run your household can help shave costs, including:
- Washing clothes at lower temperatures,
- Air-drying instead of tumble drying,
- Batch-cooking meals and using residual oven heat for warmth,
- Fitting radiator reflectors behind radiators on external walls
- Insulating your pipes (which helps water heat up faster).
6. Understand your energy usage
If you’ve got a smart meter, check your live data so you can spot ‘vampire’ devices that draw power even on standby mode – you can then make sure you turn them off at the plug.
7. Make sure you’re on the best tariff for your energy needs
Checking your tariff is hugely important. Octopus’ energy experts suggested many homes can save money with time-of-use tariffs, where prices vary by time of day.
“These tariffs reward you for shifting energy use to off-peak hours, which is particularly handy if you have an electric vehicle, heat pump or home battery,” they added.
