Cost of living: one-minute shower hack could save households £207 on energy bills per year

Energy bills will go up for millions of households across the UK this month as the new energy price cap takes effect.

The government’s energy price guarantee limits the unit price paid for electricity and gas and has been implemented to shield households and businesses from the worst impact of soaring oil and gas prices.

It means the annual bill for a typical household in England, Scotland and Wales will be held to around £2,500 for the next two years. A similar scheme will also operate in Northern Ireland.

The government said that without action energy bills had been expected to hit £3,500 from October, rising as high as £6,500 next year.

However, the £2,500 figure is still higher than the previous price cap of £1,971.

As such, many households will be looking for ways to cut down on costs over the coming months - and it could be as simple as altering your shower routine.

Cutting your shower time can save you money

Simply cutting down the amount of time you spend in the shower each day can save you a surprising amount of money over the course of a year.

Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert says that shaving just one-minute off your shower time could result in a saving of £207 per year in energy bills, and a further £105 annually in water bills if you have a meter - making a total saving of £312 a year for an average four-person household.

In addition, MoneySavingExpert recommends fitting a free water-saving shower head which could save a typical household around £50 a year on average.

Savings vary by supplier and usage, but the Energy Saving Trust estimates that replacing an inefficient shower head with an efficient one could save a family of four £75 on their gas bill and about £120 on their water bill (if metered) each year.

If you are not on a water meter, you can get one fitted for free in England and Wales and use a water meter calculator to see if it will save you money.

It can also be worth turning the water off to lather on shampoo and shower gel before rinsing off as this will ensure you use less water.

When you use less water, you also usually heat less water which will help to reduce your energy costs, as well as your water usage. Even this small money-saving measure can add up over the course of a year.

How else can I cut energy costs?

Other simple water saving measures to cut costs recommended by NetVoucherCodes.co.uk include using a washing bowl when doing the dishes to prevent constant water running, hand-washing some clothes as a cheaper alternative to the washing machine, and installing a water alarm to help detect any water leakages which may be covertly driving up the household bills.

Placing the alarm close to household appliances will help you quickly act on any leaks to prevent any further costs.

Cleaning giant Fairy has also unveiled a change to its iconic bottles of Fairy Liquid as customers look to save money.

The manufacturers have changed the ingredients and added a new instruction to the label of bottles that could help to reduce water and energy bills.

A new label has appeared on bottles that reads: “New. Brilliant in cold. Save energy.”

Traditionally, Fairy instructions have advised customers to use washing up liquid in warm water to clean dishes effectively.

However, the company has confirmed that the new formula will work in cooler temperatures and will still provide a “brilliant clean”.

A spokesperson for Fairy said: "Fairy’s upgraded formula delivers a fast activating clean from start to finish, designed to clean quickly even in cooler water temperatures.

"With Fairy’s new formula, you can wash in cooler temperatures and still get a brilliant clean."