British Gas, OVO, EDF, Octopus, EON customers handed £130 each thanks to button on boiler

British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON and Octopus customers are being handed a free £130 each - thanks to a button on their boiler. The exact temperature to set your heating to that could save you £130 a year or more as we head towards Christmas has emerged.

Citizens Advice says that turning down your thermostat by just one degree can save you 10 per cent on your heating costs. In 2022, researchers from University College London used thermostat date from 13,000 homes in Britain to see exactly what you could save.

They found that for each 1C decrease in thermostat temperatures between 22C and 18C, an average home used around £130 less energy. Checkatrade recommends: “You can then automatically increase the degree for when you’re home or awake. Using a programmable thermostat can help to cut down on unnecessary heating, so you’re using your heating more efficiently.”

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Checkatrade says, between 6am and 8am, set your thermostat so your heating turns on half an hour before you wake up. While you’re at work or out and about, set your thermostat to a lower temperature, such as 18-20°C. This will help you save money on your heating bills and also keep your home above freezing.

Between 4pm and 10pm, set the thermostat so your heating comes back on around half an hour before you’re usually home. You might also want to set the thermostat to a slightly higher temperature, such as 20-22°C, for when you’re home in the evenings.

The overnight, set the thermostat to a lower temperature, such as 16-18°C, while you sleep. The Centre for Sustainable Energy says: “Don’t pay for heat that you’re not using! If you are out during the day (or tucked up in bed at night), you don’t need the heating on.

“Even if you turn your thermostat down a bit, your boiler will keep firing up and using energy (and cost you money) at times when you won’t feel the benefit. Instead, programme your central heating using the timer so that it switches off when you’re out or in bed, and switches back on to warm up the house about half an hour before you get home or before you get up.”

Citizens Advice adds: “Check what the TRVs on your radiators are set to. If they’re on a high setting in rooms where you don’t spend much time, try turning them down to a low setting to save energy. Don’t turn them down to zero - this will turn off the radiator completely. Even in a room you don’t use much, there should be some heat to stop damp and mould from developing.”