Households hit with rocketing energy bills are being urged to make money-saving changes to lessen the pain.
Prices have jumped by an average of £139 a year, to £1,277, after regulator Ofgem hiked its price cap on standard variable tariffs to allow suppliers to claw back a surge in wholesale costs.
Households on pre-pay meters have seen prices rise by an even more budget-busting £153 a year, on average.
Others coming off cheaper fixed-rate energy deals are also being hit with unprecedented bills.
Joe Malinowski, founder of energy price comparison website TheEnergyShop.com, said: “The switching market has all but come to a halt.
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“The only alternative people really have right now to get their energy bill down is to cut the amount of energy they use.”
Working with the Energy Saving Trust, the Mirror picked out 12 tips that could save the typical household about £378 a year.
Some are relatively cheap – or cost nothing – while others involve a chunky outlay, which may not be possible for everyone at the moment.
Here is how you can use less energy, help the environment and save yourself some cash...
Heating - save £80 a year
Over half the typical household’s gas bill goes on heating and hot water.
Only have the heating running in the day if you are at home and consider heating just the rooms you use.
Each degree you turn the thermostat down will typically save a household around £80 a year - but many already have it at the bare minimum because of the cost.
Lights - save £50 a year
With more people at home during the Covid pandemic, it is understandable households had the lights on more.
But try to avoid turning the lights on during the day unless you need them.
Making sure everyone turns off every light when leaving a room can save up to £15 a year.
Replacing inefficient light bulbs with LEDs would cost the average household £100, but save about £35 a year on their bills.
Together with turning off lights, that is a £50-a-year saving.
Televisions - save £7 a year
Televisions can be the most powerhungry of all entertainment gadgets, with the bigger the screen, the more energy they use.
If you are buying a new TV, opting for a 40-inch screen TV with an A-rating for energy efficiency over a 60-inch equivalent would save you £5 a year.
On a 32-inch, the saving is £7 a year.
Computers - save £19 a year
Laptops typically use 85% less electricity over a year than desktop PCs.
Choosing a laptop over a desktop, and reducing standby, could save the average person up to £19 per year.
Computer tablets have even lower energy usage – typically using 70% less power than laptops.
Dishwashers - save £7 a year
If you have a dishwasher, then nearly 8% of your electricity bills is likely to go on running it.
A typical dishwasher costs £25 to £45 a year to run.
Yet a slimline model typically cost between £20 and £35.
The most efficient dishwashers on the market have a D rating and cost almost £11 less per year to run than the lowest-rated dishwashers that you can buy of the same size and they use less water.
Draught-proofing - save £22 a year
Blocking gaps around doors and windows is a relatively cheap way to save energy and money.
Some form of ventilation helps reduce condensation and damp, by letting fresh air in when needed.
Draught-proofing a typical gas-fuelled semi-detached home could save you around £25 a year.
If you have an open chimney, then fitting a removable draught excluder can save another £18 a year.
Water tank - save £18 a year
A hot water cylinder jacket costs about £15.
Fitting one is a straightforward job and could shave £18 off your annual energy bill.
If you already have a jacket fitted around your tank, check the thickness: it should be at least 80mm.
Another cheap option is fitting radiator reflector panels.
Turning off appliances - save £35 a year
Many households leave electrical items, including TVs, in the standby mode, rather than switching them off at the plug.
Many are switched on all day, using up electricity unnecessarily.
The average UK household spends £35 a year powering appliances left on standby.
And unplug all chargers when not in use, especially any that have display lights.
Showers - save £70 a year
Spend one minute less in the shower every day and save up to £7 per person, per year on your energy bills.
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Use a water-efficient showerhead and a household of four people could save an extra £70 a year on gas for water heating.
Kettles - save £6 a year
Kettles are one of the most-used appliances in the kitchen, but nearly three-quarters of people boil more water than they need for a cuppa.
Experts recommend getting an eco-kettle, which can keep any boiled water warm for around four hours.
Or just avoiding overfilling can save the average household £6 a year on their electricity bill.
Fridges and freezers - save £24 a year
They are switched on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are some of the longest-lasting appliances in our homes, so it is worth finding energy efficient models.
Energy label scales range from A to G and choosing a higher-rated fridge freezer can have a big impact on running costs.
Picking a D-rated fridge freezer over a G-rated one will save the average household about £420 in energy bills over the 17-year life of the product - or £24 a year.
Floors - save £40 a year
Insulating the ground floor is a good way to keep homes warm.
Timber floors can be insulated by lifting the floorboards and laying mineral wool insulation.
Insulating under the floorboards on the ground floor could save you about £40 a year in an average property, or up to £70 if you live in a detached house.
