MILLIONS of households will be looking for ways to cut down on their energy use, including using electric blankets.
With bills due to rise from next month, we’ve worked out how much you’ll actually be paying to use one.
Electric blankets may become more popular due to the energy price cap increase
It may be tempting to use an electric blanket at night to give the thermostat a break after Liz Truss announced the average household’s bill will go up to £2,500 a year.
That’s despite the new Energy Price Guarantee which stopped that figure soaring to £3,549.
But before you turn the heating off, we reveal how much extra you’ll be adding onto your electricity bill by using an electric blanket.
How much does it cost to run an electric blanket?
Most people use electric blankets under their sheets to heat their bed before they get in it.
According to research from Uswitch, these gadgets use 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed before switching to a sleep setting or being turned off.
A 100W electric blanket run for seven hours a week would use 0.7kWh.
And Ofgem announced that it costs roughly 28p per kilowatt hour (kWh) for a typical customer paying by direct debit under the current price cap.
Based on this cap, it costs 19.6p to run a 100W electric blanket for one hour a day for seven days.
If you were to use an electric blanket for one hour a day, every day of the week for a year, it would cost you £10.19 in total.
Based on the new price cap coming into effect on October 1, it would cost 24p to run an electric blanket for one hour a day for seven days.
If you used it for one hour a day for a year, you’d be spending £12.48 on your electricity.
But using an electric blanket instead of turning the heating up could still save you cash off your bill, Uswitch energy expert Sarah Broomfield said.
“Using an electric blanket to warm the bed may mean you can turn the temperature of your thermostat down, as you won’t need your bedroom to be so hot.
“Turning your thermostat down by just 1°C can save you as much as £80 a year.”
How else you can reduce your bill
There are other ways to keep your house warm without cranking up the heating.
Pesky draughts can blow cold air into your home – and hot air can also escape.
Blocking these gaps by using draught excluders or balled socks and tights can help keep in the heat and prevent temperatures in your house from dropping – you could save £25 a year from this.
Making the most of government help schemes can also help to pay your bills.
For example, the Household Support Fund has been extended for vulnerable residents who can’t afford essential costs.
And pensioners can receive annual one-off winter fuel payments from the government of between £100 and £300.
To qualify for the payout, you’ll need to have been born before April 5 1954 – the date changes every year.
Those on Universal Credit can also get a one-off payment worth up to £812 to help pay bills – but it has to be paid back.
And check if you’re one of the thousands NOT eligible for the £150 council tax rebate.