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Original poster

Anyone else worried about their heating bill with everyone home all day?

99 replies

Hotcuppatea · 11/01/2021 08:42

In winter, we normally have our heating on for an hour in the morning and then it clicks on again at 3pm in time for the children getting in from school.

I WFH mostly and normally just wear warm clothes/ have a blanket on my knee and I'm OK. However, now the children are home from school, I have to have the heating on for them, especially as they are sitting at their desks for such a big part of the day.

I'm stressing about how big the winter fuel bill is going to be, but can't think of any alternative to having the heating on. How's everyone else coping? Anyone got any good ways for keeping the costs down?

OP posts:
Enb76 · 11/01/2021 11:49

My daughter who doesn't feel the cold generally, is cold - my heating bills have gone through the roof. Thank god I'm saving in other areas.

We all have extra jumpers on and are wearing wrist warmers (I'm wearing a snood) so it's not like we're dressed for summer. Heating goes off from 10am to 3pm when the sun's out but if it's grey all day then the heating has to be on.

rbe78 · 11/01/2021 11:50

@Hotcuppatea - do you WfH because you choose to, or do you have to (e.g. beaucse of COVID)? If the latter, you can get tax relief on up to £6 a week. It's not much, but does offset a bit of the extra heating costs at least.
www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home

Destinysdaughter · 11/01/2021 11:54

May sound extreme, but wearing wooly hats indoors will help to feel warmer. And yes I do worry about it, my house is really cold!

Boatonthehorizon · 11/01/2021 11:54

I have the heating on 21 degrees all day (24/7). It's not that expensive.
£74 a month for gas and electric.
Life's too short to live in misery.

formerbabe · 11/01/2021 11:57

@Boatonthehorizon

I have the heating on 21 degrees all day (24/7). It's not that expensive. £74 a month for gas and electric. Life's too short to live in misery.
I don't understand how some people's bills are so low. Ours is more than that and we only put the heating on for a few hours in the evening.
SpaceRaiders · 11/01/2021 11:59

We’re in an old cottage too, no mains gas or oil just electric. I’ll be installing solar panels later this year and increasing the insulation. I’ve resorted to heating only the rooms were spending time in. I also bought several bulk bags of wood, the wood burner is typically on from 8am- 8pm. But like a PP said I’m hoping increased fuel bill is offset by reduced spending elsewhere.

SpaceRaiders · 11/01/2021 12:02

I don't understand how some people's bills are so low. Ours is more than that and we only put the heating on for a few hours in the evening.

The size of the house, it’s age and or how well insulated, even if it’s mid terrace, semi or detached will always plays a part.

joystir59 · 11/01/2021 12:02

18c here at the most, goes on at about 11am to coincide with elderly mil getting, goes off 7pm. House stays warm the rest of the evening.

star1459 · 11/01/2021 12:02

We are the same, both myself and partner wfh 5 days a week. We try for as long as we can with out the heating but my 10/11 my hands are freezing abs it starts to impact your work. One of us usually caves and then we have it on for a few hours.
My only thought is how much we are saving on two cars worth of petrol weekly.
I may look at an oil heater for the room we are in but not sure how much in terms of electricity they use.

Ch3rish · 11/01/2021 12:03

@formerbabe

I'm always a bit baffled by those who keep their heating on all day. Unless you're living in a 16th century cottage in rural Scotland or have a newborn baby, it seems really unnecessary.

I'm not an environmental activist or anything but household boilers are a huge source of pollution...no one seems to realise this or care. People go on all the time about pollution caused by cars though.

I don't particularly feel the cold and I don't live in the type of house you describe but if I'm sitting still working during the day my is it cold.

Maybe not everyone is the same as you.

schmockdown · 11/01/2021 12:04

We fortunately do not have to worry about bills so it goes on when we need it. At the moment it is on most of the day but I find by the time we get to about 730/8pm it has to go off as it's too hot / dry in the house. it then stays off until 6am.

We are in a Victorian semi and with next door WFH I think we are all benefiting from each other's heating as even through it is freezing at the moment the heating is definitely on less. I've just had a look at he smart meter and last week we spent £13.44.

EmmanuelleMakro · 11/01/2021 12:06

Yes I am!
Normally everyone is out all day and most if the weekend.
Yet another stick.

NanuNanuM · 11/01/2021 12:07

My heating and electric bills are going to higher. But as others have said, I've slashed my commuting costs. My £30 petrol costs a week is now £30 a month. And I'm not buying work clothing (well apart from the odd gorgeous top for zoom meetings).
Swings and roundabouts...

Mogwaimug · 11/01/2021 12:11

I'm the same. Usually when I'm WFH on my own, I sit in the box room/office and have the heater on in there. Now the kids are home, heaters are on all day everyday. We are electric only which is more expensive than gas.

My house is brand new, lovely and insulated, but I feel the cold. 18 degrees is cold to me! I make sure everyone is layered up as well as I can.

I haven't had the tumble dryer on for ages to try and offset it!

Mogwaimug · 11/01/2021 12:12

I'm also claiming the tax allowance. Better than nothing!

PattyPan · 11/01/2021 12:12

I have mine to 17 or max 18 too OP, I get too hot if it’s above 19. 15 overnight. This is a poorly insulated Victorian terrace so I also focus on blocking up as many draughts as possible.
My DP gets cold so I bought him a hot water bottle to have on his lap under a blanket. Multiple pairs of socks help as feet/extremities tend to get colder. Could you also look at those slippers which you microwave like heat bags?

movingonup20 · 11/01/2021 12:12

I have mine set to 19 and it's comfortable in a light jumper or cardigan sitting still. Heating is on between 7.30&8.30 then 5-8. Stays pretty warm but I boost it for an hour mid afternoon on really cold days eg last week if needed. But it's newish and terraced

movingonup20 · 11/01/2021 12:13

Ps we claimed the tax allowance that covered the slight increase

purpleproses · 11/01/2021 12:15

@Boatonthehorizon

I have the heating on 21 degrees all day (24/7). It's not that expensive. £74 a month for gas and electric. Life's too short to live in misery.
£74 is more than a lot of people can afford. Not everybody has the choice to have the heating on all day let alone all night too.
PattyPan · 11/01/2021 12:15

@Boatonthehorizon

I have the heating on 21 degrees all day (24/7). It's not that expensive. £74 a month for gas and electric. Life's too short to live in misery.
Ours is £47 a month for gas and electricity (not on the cheapest tariff either) so I think £74 is high! That’s over £300 a year more than I pay, not to mention the carbon footprint.
BarbaraofSeville · 11/01/2021 12:18

Ours is £47 a month for gas and electricity (not on the cheapest tariff either) so I think £74 is high! That’s over £300 a year more than I pay, not to mention the carbon footprint

National average is around £90 pm. £47 pm is not going to adequately heat most houses along with run appliances, heat water for showering etc. For £47 pm, you must either have very low heating, solar panels, or a small/well insulated property.

SueEllenMishke · 11/01/2021 12:20

@formerbabe

I'm always a bit baffled by those who keep their heating on all day. Unless you're living in a 16th century cottage in rural Scotland or have a newborn baby, it seems really unnecessary.

I'm not an environmental activist or anything but household boilers are a huge source of pollution...no one seems to realise this or care. People go on all the time about pollution caused by cars though.

You must be really fortunate to live in a warm house then. My heating went off at 8.30 this morning and my bedroom temperature has already dropped to 14 degrees. This where I'm currently working and despite wearing warm clothes I'm bloody freezing. I will have to put the heating on again soon.
Northernsoullover · 11/01/2021 12:20

I'm topping up every week by an extra 20 quid bank transfer. I know others might not be able to do this but I'm using the money I'm not spending on petrol. That way I'm hoping I won't get a shock.

BigTallyWacker · 11/01/2021 12:21

Ours is set at 21 from 6am-8pm same as always really. I only work very part time (currently furloughed) so the heating isn’t on any more now than it normally is.

We also pay £75 a month for gas and electricity same as previous poster. House is 10yrs old and well insulated.

purpleproses · 11/01/2021 12:21

£90 a month must get a lot of heating and hot water. I heat my house normally for 2 hours when the DCs are at school, at the moment it's on auto during the day with a minimum of 18. I have it so it's warm when they get up and warm when they come home, during the day if I am home then it's switched off.