Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has shared advice on heating efficiency and fixed tariff deals as the Ofgem energy price cap drops from £1,758 to £1,641 for average households from April 1
Martin Lewis has given people advice about heating bills(Image: ITV)
Millions of households are poised to see their energy bills tumble this spring after Ofgem unveiled its latest price cap, with Martin Lewis offering guidance on how families should react.
From April 1, the price cap will fall from £1,758 to £1,641 for typical households – representing a 7% drop, or £117 saving. That said, what you actually pay depends entirely on how much gas and electricity you use.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £150 would be knocked off energy bills from April through scrapping the Energy Company Obligation and Renewables Obligation.
Despite this welcome reduction, Martin Lewis has urged households they could still trim costs further by jumping to a fixed tariff deal. The Ofgem price cap doesn’t put a limit on your overall energy spending – instead, it sets the maximum price you’re charged per unit, plus standing charges, reports the Express.
Standing charges are a daily fixed cost for being connected to the grid. Therefore, your bill is still dictated by how much energy you actually consume, which means it could land higher or lower than the headline price cap amount.
The price cap figure reflects what average bill payers might expect to shell out, calculated using Ofgem’s projection of typical household energy usage. Looking ahead to early 2026, Martin Lewis has urged households to lock in their energy tariff with a fixed deal sitting 10-15% beneath the current price cap.
He suggested that securing a fixed energy tariff now generally makes sense if you can locate a deal 10-15% under the existing Price Cap. These price caps are expected to drop again come April “in many cases more than the Price Cap, that differential will remain,” according to the Money Saving Expert.
Since the optimal price varies depending on consumption levels and whereabouts, Lewis suggests using a comparison platform like Cheap Energy Club.
For those with lower consumption, EDF offers a Price Cap tracker matching the standard rate, but knocking £100 off Standing Charges annually (and through MSE you can also pocket £70 cashback). Additionally, there are EV tariffs and advanced time-of-use tariffs worth investigating.
Heating typically accounts for the bulk of energy consumption in British homes, according to The Electrical Outlets. So with unpredictable weather continuing, Martin Lewis has delivered his final verdict on whether it’s preferable to maintain heating on low constantly or switch it on only when required.
The conclusion seems to be that “leaving the heating on all day leads to greater heat loss and means higher cost”, per MSE.
That said, both perspectives in the heating debate carry some validity – with scope for variation depending on individual circumstances.
The Energy Saving Trust maintains running heating continuously proves less economical. It recommends the superior strategy is heating your property only when needed – guaranteeing you’re exclusively spending when it’s truly essential.
Utilising a programmable thermostat represents the most effective way of achieving your desired home temperature at the times you require it.
That said, Heat Geek advises that if you possess a contemporary boiler or heat pump, remain at home throughout the day, or spend the majority of evenings and weekends at your residence, the ‘low and slow’ technique proves most effective.
Heat pumps, a low-carbon variety of electric heating, draw warmth from outdoors, whilst modern condensing boilers reclaim some waste heat before it escapes – these boilers were fitted post-2005.
In these circumstances, maintaining your property at a steady 18 or 19°C may prove more energy-efficient.
Lower temperatures and gentler heating response – meaning you resist the temptation to whack up your heating when cold – enables the boiler to recapture more waste heat.
Mind you, this might not prove the wisest tactic if you’re frequently away from home or if your walls comprise plasterboard (which warms up more quickly).
However, if you’ve got cavity wall and loft insulation or underfloor heating, the ‘low and slow’ method is perfect.
Some argue that the benefit of ‘low and slow’ is that it stops condensation from accumulating inside the walls each time the heating switches off, which can sap warmth from your home and potentially encourage damp and mould. Given there’s no clear-cut solution, MSE recommends a trial and error approach – measuring energy usage with both methods.
Note down meter readings at the beginning and end of each trial and contrast them – though attempt to ensure the temperatures during the weeks you’re evaluating are comparable.