When will you turn the heating on? Millions say they will leave it off all winter as bills are too high

By HELEN CRANE, DEPUTY EDITOR, THIS IS MONEY

As the weather turns chillier, families across the country are firing up the annual debate over when to switch on the central heating.

While some have no qualms reaching for the thermostat as soon as the mercury drops, others pledge to grab a hot water bottle and hold out until November, December and beyond.

But according to new research, nearly 6 per cent of us – some 1.7million Britons – say they won’t turn their heating on at all this winter.

It comes as Ofgem’s energy price cap went up on October 1, raising bills from £1,663 to £1,723 per year for a household using the typical amount of electricity and gas.

A household’s bills are governed by the price cap if they haven’t chosen a fixed tariff.

And there may be more pain to come, as the energy price cap is predicted to rise again in January to as high as £1,999, a 16 per cent increase which would mark the highest increase in four years.

More than a third (37 per cent) of households who plan to go without central heating said they could afford to heat their home if they wanted to, but preferred to go without to save cash, according to comparison website Uswitch.

Wrapping up: Some 6% of Britons claim they won’t put the heating on at all this winter

The NHS recommends that homes are heated to at least 18 degrees in the winter, but this may need to be higher for older people and those with certain health conditions.

People who are older, disabled or have a health condition should check whether they can join their energy supplier’s Priority Services Register.

This entitles them to extra support and protection.

Some 50 per cent of those surveyed said that while the heating wouldn’t be going on, they would look to alternatives such as extra layers, hot water bottles and electric blankets.

One in five (19 per cent) plan to use portable heaters, open fires or log burners instead.

Cost concerns: Dave Jeffery says his roof repairs will prevent him turning on the heating this winter

Dave Jeffery, 68, of Northwich, Cheshire, is holding off turning his heating on this winter after discovering his 1870s home needs major repairs, forcing him to make difficult choices.

Dave said: ‘A fault with the house needs major expenditure. People talk about food or heating, but I need the roof.

‘The heating hasn’t been on yet, but we’ll layer up before we put any heat on.’

Mandy De’Ath, 53, of Bexley, south-east London, plans to get through this winter without turning on any heating.

On the coldest nights, she stays at her mum’s house.

Her ground-floor flat was built in the 1990s and has no central heating and almost no insulation, so any heat quickly escapes.

She has insulated curtains and an electric blanket but finds plug-in heaters too expensive for her to run constantly.

Emily Ahuja, 32, of Cirencester, Gloucestershire, won’t turn on her heating until December due to the cost, relying on wearing more layers, draught excluders and higher-tog duvets.

The family uses an electric heater in the living room to keep 14-month-old daughter Esme warm for an hour or two before bed.

Emily said: ‘I won’t turn my heating on until December when the temperature really starts to drop. I don’t want my baby to be cold, so if it’s really chilly we’ll use a small plug-in heater for an hour or two.

‘The energy bill this year is already higher than it was last year.’

These can work out cheaper to heat just one room, but using them around the whole house can make them more expensive than just switching the heating on.

Despite the forecast rise in bills, the number of households pledging not to use the heating altogether was slightly lower than this time last year when more than 7 per cent said they would abstain.

However, 18 per cent of respondents said they would wait for longer to put the heating on this year than they did last year.

Some fixed deals currently available undercut both the October and predicted January price caps.

You can find the cheapest energy deals using This is Money’s guide, which is updated every week.

Tariffs usually last for 12 or 24 months, so you have certainty over how much you’ll be charged for energy. This should help you budget over the colder months.

If you can find a year-long fix priced lower than both the current price cap and the predictions for January, this is strongly worth considering.

You are guaranteed to get cheaper energy for three months – and you are likely to benefit for months after that as well if the forecasts of price rises are correct.

Even deals that sit slightly above the current cap but significantly below the predictions for January could save you money. You are also locking in savings for winter, when energy use will be highest.

However, if wholesale prices suddenly drop and you have secured a fixed, long-term deal, there is a risk you will pay more than if you’d stayed on a variable tariff.

Be wary of exit fees, which can charge you up to £125 if you want to leave the deal early.

> Compare the best energy deals for your home with Uswitch and This is Money*

When energy prices spiked most households shifted to variable–rate tariffs, but it’s now possible again to switch to fixed–rate energy deals that can save you money.

This is Money’s recommended partner Uswitch lets you compare the best energy deals for you, based on your home and gas and electricity costs.

> Compare the best energy deals with Uswitch*

By entering your address and energy usage, you can search for energy deals that can cut your costs and suit how you live.

Switching energy provider can also help the planet, if you move to one of the green deals offering electricity from renewable sources and more environmentally–friendly gas.

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