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Danielle Richardson weighs in on energy-saving devices, solar power and standing charges ahead of the price cap increase
Emilia Hitching Reviews Writer, Home and Garden
Emilia is a reviews writer for Recommended, specialising in home, garden and sleep product reviews, buying guides and deals advice. Previously, Emilia was sleep and wellness editor at Homes & Gardens where she worked with testers to find the best sleep products, from mattresses to sunrise alarm clocks.
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Every three months, the energy regulator Ofgem adjusts the price cap, which determines the maximum amount a supplier can charge for a unit of energy and standing charge together. Today, it has set prices from July, which mean energy bills are due to surge by £221 a year.
Ahead of today’s announcement, we were inundated with questions from the Telegraph Recommended community on what you can do to mitigate increasing energy costs. So, we asked the Telegraph’s Money Advice Editor, Danielle Richardson, to answer them.
Richardson has been writing about personal finance for the best part of 10 years. So, from the energy-efficient products that are worth buying to the best time to fix a new contract, she has advice for everything.
Ella, North East
If you’ve got a big family and you’re constantly doing lots of washing, then a heated clothes airer can be handy compared to running the tumble dryer all the time. You could set up a dehumidifier next to it, so you can get rid of all the moisture quickly. I personally have a heated clothes airer and it also doubles up to be like an extra radiator as well.
There are also smart plugs, which you can use all year round. It means that you don’t have these vampire devices that are using your energy without you realizing when they’re stuck on standby. These plugs switch them off automatically.
Eleni, East Midlands
There are three main criteria you need to think about. The first one is the type of tariff: either a fixed rate tariff, variable rate ones and separate ones for electric cars, heat pumps and so on.
Secondly, have a think about how involved you want to be. If you want to have a rate and know that that’s not going to change, a fixed rate is probably best. If you’re really engaged and love looking at your smart meter and the cost of energy as it goes up and down, maybe a time of use tariff would be good.
Thirdly, you’ll have to think about how the deal compares to the current price cap. Although no one has a crystal ball, listen to what the experts are saying. If you know that winter’s coming and energy is about to get more expensive, that’s something important to keep in mind.
Julian, London
This depends on so many factors. You need to think about what your house is like. How cold is it? How long does it take to warm up? Are you going to be home for a lot of the day?
In general, if people are going out for work, they’ll put their heating on just before they get out of bed in the morning, and it’ll go off just before they leave.
Then when they’re on their way home, it is a good time for the heating to click on, so it’s nice and toasty when they get in.
Overall, it’s important to try and stay warm. A big bill is never fun but you need to look after yourself, so use your heating and put it on when you need to.
Colin, South East
This is such a big question. Solar panels are increasingly popular and they definitely can be worth it.
You have to be able to afford the initial outlay though, which can be several thousand pounds. Then, make sure that your roof gets a lot of sunlight, because that’s what’s making the energy.
If that’s the case, you can generate your own energy and thereby cut your bill. If you’re making quite a lot, then you can even sell some back to the national grid.
Mal, East Midlands
Exit fees are increasingly common and actually are more expensive at the moment, so this is definitely something to watch out for.
Providers tend to introduce them because they don’t want you switching whenever you see a new deal that you like the look of. They want you to stay put for the term that you’ve signed up for.
The good news is, most suppliers will let you take your deal with you when you move house, so you can carry on using it and you don’t need to worry about the exit fee.
Lisa, South East
With standing charges, you’ll still get an energy bill even if you don’t use anything at all, which can feel frustrating. Energy companies build in the cost of providing you with your gas or electricity and the exact figure depends on where you are in the country.
So, the cost depends on how many people live in your area and whether your supplier is making any big upgrades to help you.
However, in April 2026, the government removed some of the charges that were built into standing charges, so they should be a little bit cheaper.
Bishan, West Midlands
It can feel like energy prices are only ever going up. But the truth is they’ve been volatile over the last couple of years. They go up as well as down. It’s because of the cost of oil and gas and the cost of bringing that energy to your door.
Paul, North West
Usually this is just when your current deal ends. That way, you can avoid exit fees, which might outweigh the cost of going for a slightly cheaper deal.
It’s also worthwhile keeping an eye on what’s happening with the price cap, and whether that’s due to go up or down in future.
Forida, Yorkshire
One of the best things you can do is be engaged with your energy bills and what kind of deal you’re on. Make sure you’re on the most competitive deal possible.
Also, be smart with how you’re using your energy. Don’t leave your devices on when you’re not home and maybe invest in some energy-saving devices.
Damian, Yorkshire
If I had a crystal ball, I would absolutely tell you, but unfortunately I don’t. I think the sad reality is it doesn’t really look like we’re going to see lower energy prices anytime soon.
But the good news is we are moving into summer when people tend to use slightly less energy. So that should mean your bills are a little bit lower. This is a really good chance to make sure that you’re on top of your energy deal and invest in those energy-saving products.
Stephen, Republic of Ireland
Most people agree that peak times in the UK are between 7am to 8am and then 4pm until 7pm, so I don’t really think it’s practical to turn off everything for five hours a day. You’d be better off turning on things as you’re using them rather than switching everything off.
Also, unless you’re on a time of day tariff, you might not even benefit from switching your devices off during peak times because you’ll just be paying the same amount regardless of the time of day.
One really useful hack is that you can put certain devices on a timer, so that they run during off peak hours. Like your washing machine, for example, could come on at the middle of the day when you’re not there, and then you won’t be paying the peak rates of energy.
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