Three in 10 British adults have struggled to pay their energy bill in the last three months, while half turned their heating off to save money even though it’s cold outside*.
With millions of households in fuel poverty, coupled with British Gas’ obscene profits making headlines, thousands of Brits are wondering when exactly they can turn off their gas and electricity to reduce costs.
Experts at The Underfloor Heating Store collected weather data from the last five years to predict the exact dates temperatures will be warm enough to switch off the heating.
Predicting when average UK temperatures stay above 15°C for a minimum of five days this year, Brits can expect to turn down or completely turn off their heating from 25th May 2024 for warmer evening temperatures (6pm) and 21st June 2024 for early morning temperatures (6am).
The Energy Price Cap, which controls what most households pay for energy, is set to drop by 12% on average from 1 April 2024, meaning bills will get cheaper later in the year. However, the average annual bill will still be around £1,660 – considerably higher than £1,276 the average household bill in October 2021*.
David Johnson, Technical and Category Manager at The Underfloor Heating Store, comments, “Whilst this doesn’t take into account daily standing charges, by sharing this data, we hope to offer people some peace of mind on when they can expect to spend less on their energy bills. NHS guidance suggests indoor heating should be switched on when outdoor temperatures reach 15°C or lower, so Brits are looking at at least another three months before UK temperatures start to rise to a level where most households will be comfortable without relying on indoor heating.”
Of course, temperatures vary across the UK. Households in London, Wales and Scotland can expect to turn their heating down from the following dates:
For London residents, from 6th June 2024 for morning temperatures (6am) and 16th May for evening temperatures (6pm).
For Wales residents, from 15th June for morning temperatures (6am) and 21st May for evening temperatures (6pm).
For Scotland residents, from 19th July for morning temperatures (6am) and 19th June for evening temperatures (6pm).
