British Gas reveals 10 energy bill saving hacks as Storm Goretti ‘cold snap’ sweeps UK

With temperatures dropping as low as minus 12.5 degrees celsius overnight, households issues like frozen pipes, boiler pressure drops and timer resets can leave homes without heating.

According to British Gas, the majority of these issues can be resolved with simple checks at home, helping households get their systems back up and running quickly.

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In winter 2025, more than 1.2 million British Gas customers called on the firm’s engineers to fix broken boilers and get their heating and hot water systems operating once again.

Joanna Flowers, a British Gas service and repair engineer, advised families looking to navigate the harsh weather brought on by Storm Goretti and secure energy bill savings.

Ms Flowers shared: “If you wake up and your heating isn’t working during a cold snap like this, don’t panic. There are some simple checks you can do yourself before calling an engineer.”

As part of her guidance, Ms Flowers and British Gas shared 10 simple hacks households should take advantage of to reduce the impact of Storm Goretti on their home.

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These include:

• Bleeding radiators to ensure rooms are heated evenly. If a household notices that the top of their radiators feels cooler than the bottom, they are recommended to switch the system off and let it cool.
• Keeping draughts at bay by making sure windows and doors are properly sealed can help reduce heat loss and lower energy bills by up to £60 a year.
• Making most of the home’s heat by ensuring furniture is arranged in your home so radiators can do their job to the best of their ability.
• Embrace zonal heating and avoid heating rooms that are not being used to save money.
• Insulate pipes as soon as possible, as once they freeze, serious damage can be caused, often cracking or bursting when water turns to ice.
• Finding the ideal temperature for the home, as even a small change could make a difference, with the average saving being around £75 a year.
• Seeing heating to suit a household’s routine by scheduling when it is turned on based on when people will actually be home.
• Embracing smart thermostats, which can save you up to £174 per year on your heating bill.
• Giving boilers some TLC to make sure they do not break during future “cold snaps.
• Looking into whether you qualify for energy bill support, as British Gas customers could be eligible for up to £2,000 in assistance from the Energy Support Fund.

Millions of UK households are set to receive welcome financial relief as energy costs decrease in the coming months. The Government has announced alterations to billing structures that will reduce typical annual expenses by £150 starting in April.

Leading suppliers including British Gas, Octopus and Eon have committed to passing these reductions to customers on both variable and fixed-rate deals, following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget announcement.

Richard Neudegg, director of regulation at Uswitch, said: “Households can now confidently sign up with these suppliers for a fixed deal that will effectively save them money twice.”

He added: “They can secure cheaper rates now during the coldest months of winter, and they’ll see their prices drop even further in April without having to take any further action.”

Beyond the April reductions, approximately six million households qualify for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter depending on if they meet certain eligibility criteria.

Energy providers, including British Gas, are applying this discount to eligible customers between November and March.

Those receiving Universal Credit or the Guarantee Credit component of Pension Credit can claim this support.

Eligibility has been broadened significantly this year, with around three million additional households now able to benefit compared to previous winters. Previously, only certain Universal Credit claimants qualified for the scheme.