TEMPERATURES are forecast to drop again, so many of us will be putting our heating on or having it on for longer than usual.

But as energy bills soar, looking to save money is more important than ever.

Luckily, there are clever tricks you can do to try and keep energy costs down.

One easy thing you can do is change the setting on your thermostat.

Energy experts have revealed the exact temperature to set it at so that you can save cash and keep warm throughout the winter.

The average households' bills have risen to £2,500 a year from £1,971 after the energy price guarantee came into effect in October.

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That impacts millions on dual fuel energy tariffs, although the exact amount you pay will depend on your usage.

If you have a bigger family that uses a lot of energy, you're likely to go over £2,500 a year.

When it comes to your thermostat, the Energy Saving Trust recommends you should set it to the "lowest comfortable temperature".

For the majority of us, this is between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.

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It's just the right balance between keeping your home warm, and keeping those energy bills as low as possible.

If you have your thermostat set at a higher temperature you can probably afford to turn it down and still keep cosy.

Of course, there are exceptions like anyone who is in ill health, and there is support available to cover extra costs.

Just by turning down the temp by a single degree you could save as much as £100 a year.

If you cut it by more you will obviously make even bigger savings.

Experts at Uswitch found that the temperature inside a fifth of UK homes is hotter than Lanzarote over winter, and more than a million properties are heated to 25°C or more – hotter than Sydney.

So, if you're at the higher end of the ideal 18-21C temperature scale, then you could still try reducing it by a degree or even two to make savings.

The Energy Saving Trust also says that you don’t need to turn your thermostat up when it is colder outside, the house will still heat up to the set temperature.

"It may take a little longer on colder days, so you might want to set your heating to come on earlier in the winter," it said.

So, if you have your heating on regularly this winter, it might be time to review your settings.

Here are some more top tips for reducing your energy bill, plus extra help you can get.

Top tips for saving hundreds on your energy bill

A properly insulated home can help reduce energy bills by stopping excess heat from escaping.

There's also help from the Household Support Fund – which has been extended with a £421million boost.

What you'll get through the fund depends on where you live, but some households are set to get hundreds of pounds of free cash for food, energy bills and essentials this winter.

Draught excluders can save you around £30 a year the Energy Saving Trust has previously said.

We've spotted them on sale at Amazon for £10.29 before, but of course you should always shop around for better offers.

And you don't even have to buy one – you can make them for free by filling a large piece of fabric with old clothes or rice.

Switching off so-called "vampire devices", that drain energy when left on standby or used inefficiently, could save you on your bills as well.

Here are 18 straight-forward ways to cut your energy bill now.

More help with energy bills

Millions of households started receiving a £400 energy bill discount from October 1.

Households will have already received a £66 energy bill discount in October, November and £67 in December.

There will also be a payment worth £67 in January, February and March.

Between November and March 2023, a £300 one-off "Pensioner Cost of Living Payment" started being paid out to eight million households.

It is being given to those who already get the winter fuel payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.

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Millions of households have also started to get the £150 Warm Home Discount between December and March 2023.

Check out more energy bill help you can claim worth as much as £3,435 a year.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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