Martin Lewis reveals tip to keep warm for 4p a week without turning heating on

11 April 2022, 15:21

This Morning: Martin Lewis admits energy crisis is getting 'depressing'

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

The Money Saving Expert has shared four cheaper alternatives to heating your house following the energy price cap rise.

With millions of people in the UK now worried about turning the heating on following the energy price cap rise, Martin Lewis has shared some cheaper alternatives.

The Money Saving Expert said that while he felt ‘sad’ about compiling the list, he wants to help as many families as possible.

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In the guide, he revealed that people can wear heated USB gloves, hand warmers, an electric gilet or an electric blanket to keep themselves warm at home.

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An electric gilet costs around £46 to buy and just 4p per week to run, while USB gloves are £5 to buy and cost 4p per week to run.

Martin also pointed out that it costs only £14 to buy a cheap electric blanket which in turn, costs 3p an hour to run.

If it is used for seven hours a day, that equals a cost per week of £1.37.

Sharing the guide, Martin said: "I felt sad asking my team to put this together, but my emailbag is full of folk so desperate they can't put the heat on, I wanted to try some help. Pls share.

"This is a guide I really wish we needn’t be publishing. The reason I asked Sarah and the team to put this together is due to my overflowing e-mail bag of desperation from people who can’t afford their energy bills.

"So don’t see this as an ‘MSE or Martin says you should do this’. It's more that we’re trying to help provide some options and information for those that may need to drastically cut down on energy usage due to financial desperation and some help for others who may want to do it out of a commitment to green issues."

This comes after the energy price cap increased by £693 per year to £1,971 for thousands of households default tariffs on 1 April.

Citizens advice has warned that the rising costs will mean around five million people won’t be unable to afford their energy bills from April.

It added that this number will rise to one in four people in the UK (more than 14 million) if the price cap rises in October again.