AN energy expert has shared 10 money-saving tips to stop rising bills rocketing any further this winter.

Philip Fowler has shared what he thinks are 10 of the best ways for people in Worcester, Malvern and Evesham to save money on their gas and electric bills as people begin to feel the pinch.

Mr Fowler of Fort Royal, Worcester, a non-executive director and investor at ODOS Properties and Partners, has been heading up bills clinics, including with Worcester BID, to help businesses and households save money.

He endorses top tips provided by the Energy Saving Trust, listed here, on how people can save cash on their bills over the course of a year.

  • Switch off stand-by: Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. You may want to think about getting a standby saver or smart plug which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go (save £65 per year)
  • Draft-proof windows and doors: Unless your home is very new, you will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney (save £125)
  • Turn off the lights: Turn your lights off when you’re not using them or when you leave a room. Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs could help you save money too (save £25).
  • Careful with your washing: Use your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures.

    Reduce your washing machine use by one run per week for a year (save £34)

  • Avoid the tumble dryer: Dry clothes on racks inside where possible or outside in warmer weather (save £70)
  • Spend less time in the shower:  Keep your shower time to just 4 minutes (save £95)
  • Swap your bath for a shower: Swap just one bath a week with a 4-minute shower (save £20)
  • Be savvy in the kitchen: Kettles are one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. But many of us will admit that we at least occasionally boil the kettle with more water than we’re going to use. Avoid overfilling the kettle. Consider fitting an aerator onto your existing kitchen tap to reduce the amount of water coming out without affecting how it washes or rinses. An aerator is a small gadget with tiny holes – they attach to the spout of taps and are cheap and easy to install  (save £43)
  • Fill your dishwasher: Only run your dishwasher when it is full to reduce the amount of water you use (save £17)
  • Top up the insulation: Effective insulation of your hot water cylinder is important: even if you have thin spray foam or a loose 25mm jacket, you can benefit from increasing the insulation to a British Standard Jacket 80mm thick (save £70)

Philip Fowler, also a non-executive director and trustee at Worcester Community Trust, has been heading up clinics for households and businesses to try and help people negotiate their way through the energy crisis.

The Energy Price Guarantee is a Government initiative to reduce the unit cost of electricity and gas so that a typical household pays, on average, around £2,500 a year on their energy bill, for the next two years from October 1.

On average usage, a household will save £1,000 a year (based on current prices from October). Energy suppliers will be fully compensated by the government for the savings delivered to households.

Meanwhile, the government announced it will cap wholesale electricity and gas costs for non-domestic users at less than half the market rate expected this winter from the start of October but the package will initially last for only six months. Extra help may potentially be offered to vulnerable firms and organisations beyond March.

However, Mr Fowler said some wrongly believed they would pay no more than £2,500 for their domestic energy bills.

Mr Fowler, also a non-executive director and trustee at Worcester Community Trust, said: "The more you use, the more you pay."

Mr Fowler has been helping Worcester Business Improvement District (BID) at business bills clinics with their number one cost being utilities, describing the non-domestic cap as 'a short-term fix'.

He urged people and businesses needing support to contact him via email at philip@philipfowler.com