How to Save Money on Heating Your UK Home This Autumn 2026
As the warm summer days fade and autumn rolls in, many UK households start thinking about switching the heating back on. With energy prices still a concern for many families, finding ways to keep your home warm without breaking the bank is more important than ever. The good news is that there are plenty of practical steps you can take right now to reduce your heating bills this autumn.
Get Your Boiler Serviced Before the Cold Hits
One of the most effective things you can do is book a boiler service before the rush begins. Engineers get incredibly busy once October arrives, and you may face higher callout charges or longer waits. A well-maintained boiler runs more efficiently, which means it uses less gas to heat your home to the same temperature.
If your boiler is more than 10-15 years old, it may be worth considering a replacement. Modern condensing boilers are significantly more efficient than older models. While the upfront cost is substantial, the long-term savings on your energy bills can make it worthwhile. Some energy suppliers offer boiler replacement schemes or monthly payment plans that spread the cost.
Bleed Your Radiators for Better Efficiency
If your radiators are cold at the top and warm at the bottom, they have trapped air inside and need bleeding. This is a simple DIY task that requires nothing more than a radiator key (available from any hardware shop for about £1) and a small container or towel to catch any drips.
Trapped air means your radiators cannot heat your rooms properly, so your boiler has to work harder and run for longer. Bleeding them takes about 10 minutes per radiator and can make a noticeable difference to how quickly your home warms up.
Draught-Proof Your Home
Draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to reduce heating costs. According to the Energy Saving Trust, draught-proofing can save the average UK household around £45-£60 per year on energy bills.
Key Areas to Draught-Proof
- Doors – Fit keyhole covers, letterbox flaps and draught excluder strips around the edges of external doors. A simple draught excluder at the bottom of the door can make a big difference.
- Windows – Use self-adhesive foam strips around window frames. For older sash windows, consider secondary glazing film which is far cheaper than double glazing.
- Chimneys – If you have an unused open fireplace, use a chimney balloon or cap to stop warm air escaping up the flue.
- Floorboards and skirting boards – Fill gaps with a flexible filler or use a rug to cover draughty floor areas.
- Loft hatch – Insulate and draught-seal your loft hatch to prevent warm air rising into the loft space.
Most draught-proofing materials cost under £20 and the whole project can be completed in a weekend. Check out the deal stores on Freebies for discounts on DIY and home improvement supplies.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats allow you to control your heating from your phone, set schedules and even learn your daily routine. Popular options in the UK include the Google Nest, Hive and Tado. While they cost between £100-£200 to buy, many households save 10-15% on heating costs by using them effectively.
The key savings come from:
- Setting lower temperatures when you are out of the house or asleep
- Zoning different rooms so you only heat the spaces you are using
- Using weather compensation features that adjust heating based on outside temperature
- Getting insights into your energy usage patterns
Some energy suppliers offer smart thermostats at discounted rates or even free with certain tariffs, so it is worth checking what deals are available before buying at full price.
Use Thermostatic Radiator Valves
Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) let you control the temperature of each room individually. This means you can keep your living room and bedroom warm while letting spare rooms stay cooler. TRVs cost around £10-£20 each and are relatively simple to fit if you are comfortable with basic plumbing tasks.
Setting TRVs to a lower number in rooms you use less frequently can add up to meaningful savings over the autumn and winter months. A setting of 3 (around 20 degrees) is usually comfortable for living spaces, while unused rooms can be set to 1 or 2 (around 10-15 degrees) to prevent damp without wasting heat.
Maximise Natural Heat Sources
Before reaching for the thermostat, think about free ways to warm your home:
- Open curtains on south-facing windows during the day to let sunlight in, then close them at dusk to trap the heat.
- Use thick curtains or thermal curtain linings to reduce heat loss through windows. Thermal lining kits cost around £15-£25 per pair of curtains.
- Move furniture away from radiators so that heat can circulate freely into the room rather than being absorbed by your sofa.
- Cook with your oven and leave the door open after use once you have finished cooking to let the residual heat warm the kitchen.
- Use door curtains in hallways to prevent cold air from hallways spreading into living areas.
Check If You Qualify for Energy Support
There are several schemes available in the UK that can help with heating costs:
Warm Home Discount
This scheme provides a £150 discount on your electricity bill between October and March. You may be eligible if you receive Pension Credit, certain means-tested benefits or if your energy supplier has its own eligibility criteria based on low income and high energy costs.
Winter Fuel Payment
If you were born on or before a certain date (currently 1957) and receive State Pension or certain other benefits, you may be entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment of between £100 and £300.
Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
The ECO4 scheme requires energy suppliers to help households on low incomes or benefits improve their home energy efficiency. This can include free insulation, boiler upgrades or heating system improvements. Contact your energy supplier to see if you qualify.
Cold Weather Payment
If you receive certain benefits, you may get a £25 payment for each 7-day period of very cold weather (below zero degrees) between November and March.
Compare Energy Tariffs
While the energy market has been volatile in recent years, it is still worth checking whether you could save by switching tariffs. Fixed-rate deals are starting to reappear on the market, and some suppliers offer discounts for paying by direct debit or managing your account online.
Use a comparison service to check if you could save by moving to a different tariff or supplier. Even a small saving per unit of energy adds up over the autumn and winter months. You can find money-saving deals and offers through Freebies deal stores to help with household costs.
Simple Daily Habits That Cut Heating Costs
- Turn your thermostat down by one degree – Reducing from 21 to 20 degrees can save around £100 per year without most people noticing a difference.
- Set your heating timer sensibly – Rather than having it on all day, set it to come on 30 minutes before you wake up and 30 minutes before you get home.
- Wear warmer clothing indoors – A good jumper and thick socks let you feel comfortable at a lower room temperature.
- Use a hot water bottle – Far cheaper than running the heating for an extra hour, and just as effective for warming up on the sofa.
- Close doors between heated and unheated rooms – This stops warm air from escaping into cold areas of the house.
- Wash clothes at 30 degrees – This uses significantly less energy than hotter washes and modern detergents work just as well at lower temperatures.
Insulate Your Hot Water Cylinder
If you have a hot water cylinder, fitting an insulating jacket is one of the quickest and cheapest energy-saving measures available. A British Standard jacket costs around £15 and can save you around £20-£35 per year on your energy bills. It pays for itself in less than a year.
Similarly, insulating your hot water pipes with foam tubes (lagging) costs about £10-£15 and prevents heat loss as water travels from the boiler to your taps.
Conclusion
Preparing your home for autumn does not have to be expensive. Many of the most effective measures cost very little but deliver real savings on your energy bills. By combining draught-proofing, smart heating controls, radiator maintenance and simple daily habits, you could cut your heating costs by hundreds of pounds over the autumn and winter period.
Start with the cheapest and easiest steps first – bleeding radiators, draught-proofing and turning the thermostat down one degree – then work up to bigger investments like a smart thermostat or improved insulation. Every step you take now will pay dividends when the cold weather arrives.
For more money-saving tips and deals, visit Freebies.co.uk and check out our regularly updated deal stores for discounts on home improvement products, energy-efficient gadgets and everyday essentials.
