Cheap gadget to avoid putting the heating on & slash energy bills by £300 – you could get one for FREE

THOUSANDS of households could be eligible for a free heating gadget from their energy supplier.

Octopus Energy is handing out free electric blankets to some of its 5.3million customers to help keep them warm this winter.

The gadgets can be a cheaper way of keeping warm instead of relying on central heating.

Octopus Energy's own research shows a typical home could save £300 by using an electric blanket to keep warm rather than always heating the whole house.

The supplier said that the blankets are only available to people who will benefit from them most.

This tends to include elderly people or those with specific medical conditions that make them immobile, very unwell, or cold.

Customers who apply for Octopus Energy's OctoAssist scheme will be assessed and offered the support that will be most appropriate for them - this could include a free electric blanket.

There are several ways in which the OctoAssist scheme helps customers that are struggling to pay their bills:

• Direct bill support which could include vouchers up to £500 and the initiation of payment holidays.
• Home energy visits to help discuss how households can reduce their usage.
• Loaning thermal cameras to spot heat loss zones in people's homes.
• Giving out free energy-efficient electric blankets.

However, if you don't qualify for a free electric blanket you can buy one yourself for as little as £19

Currys is selling single electric under blankets online and in-store for £19 right now.

Tesco shoppers can bag a double Silentnight electric blanket for £25 online and in-store.

Argos sells Slumberdown electric blankets with prices starting from £35.

But remember to always have a quick shop around first as you might be able to find a similar product cheaper elsewhere.

Prices vary by brand, size and retailer so it's worth having a browse elsewhere before you make a decision.

Use price comparison tools like Google Shopping to find similar products from other retailers and compare prices.

How do electric blankets work?

Electric blankets are designed to fit below the bottom sheet and they are typically used to pre-warm a bed.

During this pre-warming phase, they have a relatively high power consumption, around 100 watts for a double-sized bed.

Once you are in bed, an electric blanket must be turned down to the sleep setting.

This setting uses about a quarter of the electricity, typically around 25 watts, which is equivalent to a couple of mid-power low energy light bulbs. 

How much do they cost to run?

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.

Based on the current cap, it costs 21p 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 £10.95 in total.

How else can I cut my heating bills?

If you turn your boiler's flow temperature down as well as any thermostatic radiator valves in some rooms - you could save around £180 annually on your energy bills.

A couple managed to cut £400 off their EDF Energy bill by turning off their immersion heater.

Topping up loft insulation and switching to a smart meter can bring a household a further £230 worth of annual savings, according to Nesta.

It is also important to ensure that when your boiler's running there's no draught.

Ventilation is good for health and air quality but it's the first place where heat will escape.

If there's a draught, grab a draught excluder and plug the gap.

You should also ensure your windows are closed before the sun sets.

Consider what rooms in your home need heating.

You won't be using each one 24/7 so make sure the heating is off in any rooms that aren't occupied.

There is also a list of other common boiler problems we've rounded up that could be pumping up your bills.

A noisy boiler could also indicate that your water pressure is low or there's a pump failure.

If you spot rust on your boiler then it could mean you're paying more than you need to on using your appliance.

Although rust itself does not cause issues, it could be a sign that there is a leak - which indicates there is a problem with your boiler.

It can also upset the temperature balance in your boiler, making it run less efficiently and ramping up costs.