Energy bills soar by £32 a month during coronavirus lockdown – here’s how to save money
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BRITS’ energy bills are set to rise by an average of £32 per month as people spend more time at home.
During the UK lockdown, people have been using their home appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines, televisions and ovens more than usual. Lights are also being left on for more of the day, according to new research from Comparethemarket.com.
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Or switching appliances off properly, rather than just onto standby, could save you £30 a year.
And doing one less wash a week could save you £5 a year.
Other small changes include remembering to turn the lights off when you leave a room, or turning the television off when you're not watching it - this will save you a few pounds a year.
On their own these changes don’t amount to much - but it all adds up.
And for doors leading to the outside, you can try a purpose-made cover for your keyhole and a letterbox flap or brush to stop blasts of cold air coming in.
You could also install a draught excluder at the bottom of the door, and plug gaps around the edges.
Instead, it might be easier to claim HMRC's standard rate of £6 a week directly from your employer, a payment which is free from tax.
If you can't do that, you can claim tax relief yourself which means you can ask HMRC for the extra costs to be deducted from your taxable income for the whole year.
If you normally do your own tax return you can claim when you do that.
This also counts for people who are self-employed, as your expenses for the time you are at home will be higher.
If you don't normally do a tax return, you can fill in a P87 form, which you can find online and submit via the government’s website or post back.
But it’s best to wait until you are back at work in a few months' time and claim the whole amount at once.
You will pay less tax over the year, rather than receiving a refund.
If you're struggling to pay your energy bills, you may be able to get some help from your supplier.
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Millions of households will save £17 a year on their energy bills after energy regulator Ofgem announced plans to lower its price cap in February.