Amidst a cost-of-living crisis, the newly-created department for Energy Security and Net Zero is urging households and businesses to slash their energy usage by 15%, a target Rishi Sunak is eager to achieve by 2030. However, since the first announcement made in last year’s Autumn Statement by Hunt, little guidance has been issued to indicate how this will be achieved. Landmark research from the nation’s leading money-saving and sustainability platform, SaveMoneyCutCarbon, has unveiled that well over a third of the nation (39%) is being significantly affected by the impacts of the crisis, but has made no changes to their routines or behaviour as they simply do not know how. Mark Sait, CEO & founder of the service is available to comment on how changes to our daily routines and making sustainable swaps from traditional appliances and products can make substantial differences to our energy bills.

The government has also revealed that a further £24 million of taxpayers’ money will be used to invest in green technologies, that will help to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and will subsequently, deliver greener jobs, cheaper energy and contribute massively to reaching out long-term Net Zero goal. With the primary goal being to improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, listed below are some of the trusted ways to lower energy bills as advised by SaveMoneyCutCarbon:

Switch off your appliances
It is estimated that “vampire energy consumers” are costing homeowners up to £95 on their annual bills. Research from SaveMoneyCutCarbon, suggests the average amount of energy consumed by gadgets on standby or in a non-active state is between 9% and 16% of a home’s total energy bill. Therefore, the money-saving experts suggest the easiest way to stop wasting energy and cut your costs is to unplug devices from the wall and plug them back in just as you are about to use them. You may also consider purchasing an inexpensive extension power bar with an on/off switch so you can turn off several appliances at the same time.

Switch to LED and save up to £100
LED lighting is the smart choice to help you save energy and reduce electricity bills. LED lights typically use less than a fifth of the power of traditional incandescent lamps. A typical household can save £150 a year by converting to LED – and these come in a range of warm, dimmable and coloured settings. By swapping out the energy-guzzling traditional bulbs with LED lights that consume 10 times less electricity (a 6W LED equivalent), running costs per LED light will be 7.3p per day, 51p a week, £2.19 a month and £26.65 a year and £239.80 a year for a medium-sized house.

Download their money-saving app
The free SaveMoneyCutCarbon Home app is designed to make sustainable living as easy as possible, helping you learn about eco-friendly swaps & everyday tips that help you save money. According to SaveMoneyCutCarbon’s sustainable living expert, Kirsty Brandon, the five problem areas that are the worst contributors to a high carbon footprint include food waste, toiletries, cling film, plastic toothbrushes, and inefficient lighting. The app delivers an extensive overview of education-backed swaps from their ‘Learn, Shop and Save’ programme. The free app helps you identify products around your home that aren’t very eco-friendly and provides you with greener alternatives, compiles a personalised list and transfers you to the SaveMoneyCutCarbon website for a quick checkout.