Cold sweats over winter heating bills

Get all the help you can so you're not afraid to warm your home, LEVI WINCHESTER says

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Households are paying more for energy than they used to - but there are ways to cut your bill.

The Ofgem price cap is currently set at £1,755 a year for the typical household paying by direct debit, but the regulator is due to update this figure on Friday. The next price cap will come into effect in January, when most people are cranking up their thermostats during the coldest months.

SEE IF YOU SHOULD FIX

Ofgem has previously urged households to consider switching to a fixed energy tariff to cut costs. A fixed energy deal locks the price you pay for unit rates and standing charges for a set period of time. A comparison table by moneysavingexpert.com shows the cheapest fixed tariff on the open market is more than 10% lower than the current price cap. There are other options, such as tracker tariffs which have rates that change based on wholesale energy prices so they update when the market rate goes up or down.