Keeping warm does not always mean turning up the heating

From hot water bottles to electric blankets and LED lights to draught stoppers - there are scores of ways to keep out the cold this winter and pile in the savings

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More than 11 million households plan to buy at least one warming gadget this winter in an effort to offset rising energy bills, a survey has suggested.

Two-fifths of Britons will buy warming clothes and appliances, with one in 10 saying they will buy electric blankets, fleece-lined throws and thermal clothing for this winter, the poll for Uswitch found.

A previous study by the comparison site found two million households were planning to get through this winter without turning on their central heating.

Hot water bottles are the most popular way of staying warm, with 61 per cent already owning one, while thermal clothing such as leggings, socks and base layers are the next most common items, owned by nearly half of homes.

Some 30 percent of households use an electric blanket - which typically costs around 3p an hour to run - while 38 per cent rely on a weighted throw for warmth.

About one in six households own disposable hand warmers and a similar proportion use an electric or rechargeable hand warmer.