Some vulnerable people need to keep their homes warmer than normal. However, most of us can save money and energy by dressing for the weather and putting on a jumper before turning up the heating.

A dripping tap can waste at least 5,500 litres of water a year. If this is hot water you’re also wasting the energy used to heat it. Get leaking taps fixed promptly.

Make sure your radiators are clear so they can heat the space efficiently. Curtains or furniture can easily block them.

Switch off radiators in any rooms you are not using regularly and keep internal doors shut to save energy.

Using lids on your pans when cooking will save energy and help heat the contents quicker.

Are your heating costs literally going through the roof? Check to ensure you have 250-270 mm of loose roll loft insulation and top up if necessary.

Draught excluders are a cheap way of cutting out the chill from poorly fitting doors and windows. Most are also easy to fit, a simple DIY task.

Use the sun to reduce your heating bills. Leave internal doors open to rooms which trap the sun so the heat can spread to other areas.

Keeping the oven door closed while you are cooking helps keep your oven at a stable temperature. It can also improve your cooking whilst saving you energy.

Fitting a new insulating jacket to a bare hot water tank can save over £100 per year. Costing just a few pounds, the investment can pay itself off in a few months.