Many councils allow people to use the device for free
A money-saving device worth £200 that could slash your bills by up to £1,000 is being handed out for nothing. Thermal imaging cameras valued at £200 are being distributed to households across the UK. These handheld gadgets can easily set you back £200, but numerous councils allow you to borrow them without charge.
Homes that waste energy cost families an average of £299 annually in additional energy bills, research reveals. The study by Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and Screwfix, alongside economics consultancy Cebr, discovered this totalled £3.8 billion in extra yearly bills nationwide, reports Birmingham Live.
Greg Collier-Jones, from energy efficiency charity Severn Wye, said: “If you imagine a laser thermometer used to take your temperature – now imagine thousands of those bundled together, each pointing at a spot and feeding data back to a camera lens. The camera processes all that data as pixels on a screen.”
Several councils, including Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire, Kensington and Chelsea, and Portsmouth, provide residents with complimentary access to thermal imaging cameras.
Octopus Energy possesses 200 cameras it loans out each winter – however, demand proved so overwhelming that its winter 2025 applications have now shut.
Greg said: “I would strongly advise against paying for a camera – you’re much better off paying for someone to do a walk-around survey. [Thermal imaging cameras] are a brilliant way to get an initial idea of where heat might be escaping. You just point them at a wall or window and you’ll often get an instant clue.”
However, Greg also mentioned that interpreting the data on the screen “can be tricky”. “For example, a black and a white surface at the same temperature can show different readings. Pointing it at glass will often just show you what’s reflected in the room,” he continued.
“If the camera shows a cold patch and you can feel a draught with your finger, that’s confirmation you’ve got a leak,” he clarified. “It’s really fun to point the camera at your cat to see how ‘energy efficient’ they are,” he added.
“We’ve got a few cameras in the office, and honestly, most of the pictures are just people’s pets!”