Yorkshire Residents Invited to Free Energy-Saving Sessions

Let’s be honest, cranking up the thermostat in the middle of a British winter feels great for about five seconds, right up until the thought of the next energy bill pops into your head. It’s a proper balancing act: staying warm without breaking the bank. And with life being as hectic as it is, finding the time or headspace to figure out how to save energy can feel like another chore on an already massive to-do list. But what if there were a few ridiculously simple, quick tricks that could shave a decent chunk off your bill? Well, it turns out there are. The UK government has teamed up with Utilita Energy to spread the word about some easy wins, and they’re inviting people in Yorkshire to pop in for a friendly chat about it all.

Feeling the pinch this winter? You’re not alone

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at this time of year, you’re in good company. A recent survey from early February 2026 found that a huge 84% of adults are feeling the pressure of everyday costs. It’s no wonder that when it comes to saving energy, almost two-thirds of households just put it on the back burner. It’s not that people don’t want to save money; it’s just that life gets in the way. For some, there’s too much else on their mind, and for others, the advice just sounds too technical and complicated. Information shared in a recent announcement on 11 February 2026 highlighted this very problem. The details, which were distributed in an email, came from Molly Lindsey, a senior account executive at the communications agency 23red. The message was clear: people want simple solutions.

The good news is that a massive 75% of people said they’d happily make changes if they were quick, cheap, and easy. Nobody has time to be rewiring their house or installing expensive gadgets.

Three dead simple ways to save about £100

So, what are these magic tricks? They’re not magic at all, just common sense that often gets overlooked. The experts reckon these three small adjustments could save a typical household around £100 a year. Here’s the breakdown:

• Turn down your combi boiler flow temperature. This sounds complicated, but it isn’t, promise. Most combi boilers are set to heat the water for your radiators to a really high temperature by default. By turning the dial for the radiator water down to 60°C, the boiler works more efficiently. It doesn’t change how warm your house gets or the temperature of your hot water for showers—it just stops the boiler from working flat-out when it doesn’t need to. It’s a bit like not flooring the accelerator in your car when you’re just popping to the shops.

• Become a draught detective. You’d be amazed how much warmth slips out through tiny gaps around doors, windows, and even letterboxes. That little whistle of wind you hear when it’s gusty outside? That’s your heating bill going up. Spending a few quid on some self-adhesive foam strips or a sausage dog draught excluder can make a room feel cosier straight away. Check keyholes, loft hatches, and any gaps in floorboards, too. Plugging them is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy.

• Turn radiators down, not off. This one might seem a bit backwards, but there’s logic to it. If you’re not using a room, it’s tempting to turn the radiator off completely. But then the room gets properly cold, and when you do need it, the boiler has to work extra hard to heat it back up from scratch. It’s more efficient to just turn the thermostatic valve on the radiator down to a low setting (like 1 or 2). This keeps a little bit of background heat in the room without wasting loads of energy.

Fancy a chat instead of a Google search?

Reading tips online is one thing, but sometimes you just want to talk to a real person. As part of this partnership, Utilita is opening the doors to its Energy Hubs and inviting everyone in for a free, face-to-face energy ‘audit’. For people in Yorkshire, there are hubs in Huddersfield and Sheffield where anyone can drop in. There’s no hard sell; it’s just a welcoming place to ask questions and get some friendly, practical advice on your own energy habits.

What the people in charge have to say

This initiative has backing from the top. It’s not just a corporate campaign; it’s recognised as a genuinely helpful tool for families. The Minister for Energy Consumers, Martin McCluskey, said:

“We know many families are worried about their energy bills, but lead busy lives and hardly have a spare minute to think about how they can save. We want to make people aware of the small changes which can make a big difference to help in the short term. This is on top of extending the £150 Warm Home Discount so millions of eligible families will receive it every winter for the rest of the decade, and taking an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from April.”

And Bill Bullen, the CEO at Utilita Energy, added his thoughts, explaining the real-world need for this kind of support:

Every winter, we see first-hand how stretched people are, and how often energy-saving gets pushed down the list when there’s so much else to think about. This partnership is about meeting people in their own communities, offering simple advice, in plain language, and the chance to talk things through face-to-face. Through our Energy Hubs, our goal is to help households feel more in control and show that saving energy can be simple and manageable.