Nearly 2m households will not use their heating this winter

More than 1.7million households don’t plan to use their heating this winter – almost double the number who took the step last year – as they look to cut energy bills.

Of those who can’t afford to heat their homes during the colder months, 55 per cent said this was due to the rising cost of living, while a quarter of pensioners blamed it on the loss of their winter fuel payments, according to data from Uswitch.

The figures show a 70 per cent increase compared to the 972,000 people who said they wouldn’t use their heating over the last winter.

One in ten plan to heat their home to less than 16°C this winter, below the 18°C recommended minimum

On top of those choosing not to use their heating at all, a further 1million said they will hold off putting their heating on until December in order to keep their costs down.

Around 40 per cent of people only intend to heat their home if they are too cold, while a third will only heat some of the rooms in their house.

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch, said: ‘It’s deeply concerning to see how many households plan to get through winter without heating due to financial struggles.

‘Spending winter in a cold home can be a health risk and households should keep the temperature at safe levels. 

‘People are advised to set their thermostats to between 18°C and 21°C, so households should try to keep within this range even when trying to save money.’

On average, households plan to turn on their heating on 6 October, a week earlier than last year, with 6million having already turned it on.

While nearly 4million households will put their heating on 22°C or above, 17 per cent of households intend to set their thermostats below the recommended minimum of 18°C in order to save money.

One in ten said they will heat their home to 16°C or lower this winter.

While it is not recommended to heat your home below 18°C, for those that tend to have their home on the hotter side, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that turning your thermostat down by one degree could save 10 per cent on your heating bills.

Owen said: ‘Electric blankets are a good way to keep warm, and cost a lot less to run than electric heaters.

‘You can set a schedule for when your heating goes on and off so you only warm your home up when you need to, and turning down radiator valves in rooms you are not using means you are not heating them unnecessarily.

‘There are a number of fixed tariffs worth considering right now. By opting for a fixed deal, you’re locking in those rates for the duration – usually 12 months – which means households could have price certainty and avoid the ups and downs of the price cap.’