25 ways to cut household bills in the UK
Household bills are where most UK budgets get squeezed. The good news is that many of the biggest savings come from a phone call, a form or a setting, not from going without. Here are 25 practical ways to cut your bills, grouped by type, with links to official sources so you can check what applies to you.
Energy
1. Check your tariff against the price cap
Most households on a standard variable tariff pay a rate limited by Ofgem's energy price cap, which is updated every quarter. Note that the cap limits unit rates and standing charges, not your total bill. When a cheaper fixed deal is available, switching or asking your current supplier for its fixed tariffs can save money. Compare before you commit and check any exit fees.
2. Claim the Warm Home Discount
The Warm Home Discount is a £150 discount off your electricity bill (or sometimes your gas bill). In England and Wales, for winter 2026 to 2027, you may qualify if you or your partner got Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA or Pension Credit on 23 August 2026 and your name is on the bill. Most people get it automatically, but some receive a letter asking them to call a helpline by 26 February 2027. Scotland has its own rules. See GOV.UK for the details.
3. Join the Priority Services Register
If you are of pension age, disabled, have a long-term health condition or young children, you can join your energy and water suppliers' free Priority Services Register. It will not cut your bill directly, but it gives extra support such as advance notice of supply cuts.
4. Turn down your combi boiler's flow temperature
Many combi boilers are set to heat radiator water hotter than they need to. Lowering the flow temperature can help a condensing boiler run more efficiently without changing your thermostat. Check your boiler manual first, and be careful if you have a hot water cylinder, which needs to stay hot enough to stay safe.
5. Stop draughts
Draught excluders, self-adhesive strips around windows and doors, and a chimney balloon in an unused fireplace are cheap and quick to fit.
Draught strips, door excluders and radiator reflector panels cost a few pounds each. See draught-proofing kits on Amazon UK (affiliate link placeholder).
6. Submit meter readings or use a smart meter
Estimated bills can be too high or too low. Send regular readings, or ask your supplier about a free smart meter, so you only pay for what you use.
7. Wash cooler and dry outside
Washing at 30°C, running full loads and drying clothes on a line or airer instead of a tumble dryer all cut electricity use.
8. Switch off at the wall
Games consoles, TVs and chargers left on standby use small amounts of power all day. A smart plug or a switched extension lead makes it easy.
Broadband, phone and TV
9. Check for a broadband social tariff
Many providers offer cheaper "social tariff" broadband to people on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. Ofcom keeps an up-to-date list of providers and prices. Many providers will not charge an exit fee to move you onto their own social tariff mid-contract, so ask yours first.
10. Haggle at the end of your contract
Providers must tell you when your contract is ending and show you their best deals. Out-of-contract customers often pay more, so call before the end date and ask for a better price, or switch.
11. Know your mid-contract price rises
Under Ofcom rules, new phone and broadband contracts must show any price rises in pounds and pence. Check your contract so a rise does not surprise you, and factor it into comparisons.
12. Go SIM-only when your handset is paid off
If your phone contract has ended, you may still be paying a price that included the handset. Switching to a SIM-only plan with the same or a different network can cost a fraction of the price.
13. Check whether you need a TV licence
You need a TV licence to watch or record live TV on any channel or device, or to use BBC iPlayer. If you only watch on-demand content from other services, you may not need one, and you can tell TV Licensing. People aged 75 or over who get Pension Credit can apply for a free licence.
14. Rotate streaming subscriptions
Instead of paying for several services at once, keep one at a time, binge what you want, cancel and move to the next.
Council tax and water
15. Claim the single person discount
If you are the only adult (18 or over) living in your home, you can get 25% off your council tax. Some people, such as full-time students, are "disregarded", so you may still qualify if you live with them. Apply through your local council.
16. Apply for Council Tax Reduction
If you are on a low income or claim benefits, your council may reduce your bill. Each council runs its own scheme, so check your council's website.
17. Check your council tax band
If similar homes on your street are in a lower band, you can ask the Valuation Office Agency (England and Wales) or your local assessor (Scotland) to check yours. Be aware that bands can go up as well as down.
18. Ask about a water social tariff
Every water company in England and Wales offers some form of help for customers who struggle to pay. If you are on certain benefits and have a large family or a medical condition that means you use more water, the WaterSure scheme can cap a metered bill.
19. Consider a water meter
If there are fewer people in your home than bedrooms, a water meter may lower your bill. Many companies let you switch back within a set period if it costs more. Check with your supplier.
Insurance and regular payments
20. Shop around before your insurance renews
Since 2022, FCA rules mean home and car insurers cannot charge renewing customers more than they would charge a new customer for the same policy through the same channel. That helps, but other insurers may still be cheaper. Compare quotes before your renewal date rather than letting it roll over.
21. Pay annually if you can
Paying insurance monthly is often a form of credit with interest added. If you can afford the annual amount, it is usually cheaper. Your emergency or sinking fund can make this possible (see building an emergency fund).
22. Cancel subscriptions you have forgotten
Go through three months of bank statements and look for small regular payments: apps, free trials that rolled over, memberships you no longer use. Cancel them through the company or your bank's app.
Shopping, health and tax
23. Cut the food shop
Plan meals for the week, shop with a list, try own-brand or value ranges, compare the unit price (price per kg or litre) on shelf labels, and use supermarket loyalty schemes. Freeze leftovers and reduced-price items on the day you buy them.
Cashback sites pay you a share of what retailers pay them when you shop or switch through their links. Join a cashback site (affiliate link placeholder).
24. Get a Prescription Prepayment Certificate
In England, if you pay for more than a few prescriptions a year, an NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) can work out cheaper because it covers all your prescriptions for a fixed price. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
25. Check Marriage Allowance and benefits
If you are married or in a civil partnership and one of you earns less than the Personal Allowance, they may be able to transfer £1,260 of it to a basic rate taxpaying partner, cutting their tax bill. You can backdate claims for up to four previous tax years. Separately, use a free benefits calculator listed on GOV.UK to check whether you are missing support.
Turn savings into progress
Cutting bills only helps if the money goes somewhere useful. Each time you make a saving, write it down and move that amount to savings or debt on payday. Our monthly budget guide shows how to fit it into your plan.
Get the Monthly Budget Tracker
If bills are already overdue
Energy, council tax and water are priority bills. If you are behind, contact the supplier or council quickly to agree a payment plan, and get free advice from Citizens Advice, StepChange or National Debtline. Our debt snowball vs avalanche guide explains how to tackle other debts once the priorities are covered.
More guides
- How to make a monthly budget in the UK (with a free 50/30/20 example)
- Debt snowball vs avalanche: how to pay off debt in the UK
- How to build an emergency fund on a low income in the UK
- How to save money on your food shop in the UK
- Sinking funds explained: how to save for irregular bills in the UK
- How to budget on Universal Credit
- How to do a no-spend challenge in the UK
- How to save for Christmas in the UK without going into debt
- Budgeting for students in the UK
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