FOCUS' ten top tips for energy saving
Save up to £250 a year

Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent. You could save around £40 per year

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Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn't need to be set higher than 60°C/140°F.

Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.

Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.

Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily.

If you're not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme.

Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle).

A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off!

Use energy saving light bulbs. Just one can save you around £60 over the lifetime of the bulb - and they last up to 10 times longer than ordinary light bulbs.

Do a home energy check. Just answer some simple questions about your home and we'll give you a free, impartial report telling you how you can save up to £250 a year on your house hold energy bills.