As we wave goodbye to summer, winter’s approach feels bleaker than ever. Against the backdrop of the highest inflation rates in 40 years and the rising cost of living, the UK faces a steep increase in energy costs.
The price cap – which is set by regulator Ofgem – will go up by 80 per cent in October, meaning the maximum amount utility companies can charge standard-tariff customers will increase. This could see the average household’s annual energy bill go up to £3,549 from £1,971.
With the colder weather soon to set in, many people will be in desperate circumstances and faced with difficult decisions regarding how high they can feasibly set their thermostats.
While it’s clear more action needs to be done at a governmental level, there are a number of things you can do to make sure your home stays as warm as possible this winter.
From preventing unwanted draughts to making sure your bed is lovely and toasty, we round up some of the best cold-busting methods to try.
If you’ve kitted yourself out in the warmest of loungewear but still can’t seem to shrug off the unwelcome chill, a hot-water bottle should be top of your shopping list.
Ideal for keeping you warm while working from home, this faux fur version (£35, Thewhitecompany.com) was named best buy in our round-up of the best hot-water bottles for being a “cosy delight”. Our tester said: “So thick and velvety is the faux fur that we began comparing the feel of it to the sensation of stroking a baby bunny or kitten.” They added: “The soothing effect is the same, with the added benefit of hours of warmth and no pet wriggling to escape your neediness.”
For something a little more pocket-friendly, Wilko’s hot-water bottle (£6.50, Wilko.com) was praised for being great if you’re “on a budget and want to feel the benefits of a hot-water bottle”.
If your home isn’t properly insulated, a draught excluder is a must for keeping the chill at bay. Not only are these nifty products great at stopping air creeping through cracks, they can also add a stylish touch to your living space.
For a chic addition that also does the job, we recommend picking up this juju door stop (£32, Kalinko.com), which was the winner in our round-up of the best draught excluders. “The double-lined material has a top-quality feel, and the weighty gravel filling ensures it stays put. Although its compact size means it’s not ideal if you’ve got deep gaps beneath the entire width of the door, it’s a great option if your cold air issues stem from doors swinging open,” our reviewer said.
Alternatively, for something less than half the price, our tester also loved this Dunelm checked draught excluder (£12, Dunelm.com). This “brilliantly priced” design was praised for feeling “wonderfully luxurious”, and for the fact “it’s thick, full and keeps its shape easily”.
The lightweight bedding that kept you cool over summer just won’t cut it when it’s cold, so make sure to swap to a dedicated winter duvet. The tog will tell you just how toasty it is – the higher the number, the cosier you’ll be and as a general rule, a winter duvet should be 10.5 or above to keep you snug.
In our round-up of the best winter duvets, Scooms’s all-seasons Hungarian goose-down duvet (£340, Scooms.com) took the top spot, thanks to its natural temperature-regulating properties, ultra-comfy feel and 10-year guarantee. “This duvet is so fluffy, it felt like we were snuggling down in a freshly made hotel bed,” our tester said. “We especially liked the fact the all-seasons duvet comes in a range of options, so you can match 2.5 and 4.5 tog duvets or 2.5 and 9 tog ones if you prefer something a little lighter, though our mix of 4.5 and 9 togs felt like the perfect cuddly combination for chilly winter nights.”
If you’re looking for something a bit more purse-friendly, consider the Silentnight yours and mine dual tog duvet (£35, Silentnight.co.uk), which also featured in our round-up. Highlighted as the best option for couples, our tester said it combines two different togs in one duvet, meaning one half has a 10.5 tog for those who sweat year-round and the other is a warmer 13.5 tog for anyone who wants to keep the cold at bay.
It’s not just duvets that keep you toasty in bed, an electric blanket can take the edge off even more. While they, of course, use electricity, they tend to be fairly cheap to run – on average, it costs around 23p per night to run. If you’re looking for the perfect one, Dreamland’s Scandi heated sherpa underblanket (£104.99, Lakeland.co.uk) took the top spot in our review of the best electric blankets.
It “has everything you’d want from an electric blanket”, noted our writer. “It’s thick, high quality, ultra soft, and heats up quickly and evenly,” they added. What they loved was “the intelliheat+ technology that is built in, both for safety and wellbeing reasons”. And if you’re concerned about how it’ll feel on top of your mattress, it was noted as being “so comfortable that it feels brilliant on the bed, even when it’s not turned on”.
Admittedly, at £104.99, it’s on the higher end of the price scale, so we’d also like to recommend Beurer’s TS15 ecologic double heated under blanket (£24.24, Amazon.co.uk), which received similar high praise.
It’s “made from meltingly soft fleece fabric and fits perfectly on a double bed, with elasticated ties to prevent any slippage for a wonderfully comfortable – and toasty – night”. There are three heat settings, and while it’s the cheapest in the review, our tester found that it “certainly doesn’t scrimp on quality and functions”.
If you’re feeling the cold while sitting at your desk, the likelihood is you could do with wearing a few more layers.
