Energy crisis: public urged to plug gaps in doors and windows to cut costs, government urges

Government is launching the ‘it all adds up’ campaign
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Householders are being urged to plug gaps in doors and windows as a way of easing the sting of sky-high energy bills this winter.

People are also advised to tweak their boiler temperatures and switch devices off at the wall, as part of a new multimillion pound public information campaign featuring tips on “simple, low or no-cost actions” to bring about “big savings”. The Government launched the It All Adds Up initiative on Saturday, to raise awareness of “straightforward” measures people can take to cut their bills over the colder months.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

These include reducing boiler flow temperatures from 75C to 60C and turning off appliances at the plug, which ministers say could save about £170 combined each year. Households are also being urged to cut heating loss by putting draught excluders around doors or adding clear film across windows, with the potential to save a further £60 annually.

The £18 million initiative will feature adverts across a number of platforms, with a television broadcast due to be rolled out in the coming weeks. It represents a break from the position of the previous administration, when an attempt to introduce a similar public information campaign was blocked over concerns the energy saving measures were too “nanny state”.

Are cost of living support payments being offered in 2023? (Photo Illustration by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)Are cost of living support payments being offered in 2023? (Photo Illustration by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Are cost of living support payments being offered in 2023? (Photo Illustration by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps shared a light-hearted video on Saturday to promote the new initiative, in which he is seen attempting to cut his own energy usage. However his efforts are scuppered by a badly behaved “Elf on the Shelf”, inspired by the popular children’s Christmas tradition.

He tweeted: “I’m doing my best to lower my energy bills while still keeping warm. Unfortunately, my Elf on the Shelf has other ideas…” Launching the campaign, Mr Shapps said: “No-one is immune to rising energy bills this winter, so it’s in everyone’s interest to use every trick in the book to use less energy while keeping homes warm and staying safe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“For very little or no cost, you can save pounds. It all adds up, so I urge people to take note of the advice in this new campaign and follow the easy steps to cut your fuel bills.” The Government said the “simple measures” could offer “significant financial savings” without compromising on comfort or putting people’s health at risk.

It is also offering advice on other things that can be done to improve the energy efficiency of homes.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.