Start by finding where your home uses energy and which changes suit it best. Simple actions include fitting efficient light bulbs, using heating controls thoughtfully and adding reflective panels behind radiators. Check whether you need professional help for larger work, and investigate available support before deciding what to do. (Coventry.gov.uk)
Key facts
- Efficient light bulbs are a quick, easy way to start reducing electricity bills. [F5]
- Smart thermostats and programmable timers can heat your home only when needed, helping reduce waste and save money. [F8]
- An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) shows a home’s current and potential energy rating, from A, the most efficient, to G, the least efficient. [F12, F13]
Begin with the energy your household uses
Before choosing an upgrade, work out how much energy your household uses and consider which changes could improve efficiency most cost-effectively. That first assessment helps you prioritise instead of treating every possible project as equally useful. [F14]
An EPC can help identify possible improvements where one is available. It records the home’s present and potential energy efficiency ratings, using a scale that runs from A, the most efficient, to G, the least efficient. Use its recommendations as a starting point for deciding what to investigate, rather than assuming every measure will suit your household. [F12, F13]
Compare that assessment cost with your plans before commissioning one. The value lies in having a clearer basis for choosing improvements, not in making changes simply because they are available. [F15]
Monitoring and managing energy consumption can also help reveal which changes may be most effective for your own household. Keep your attention on patterns you can act on, then choose a manageable first task. A measured approach makes it easier to connect each improvement with the way you use the home. [F27]
Use straightforward upgrades and heating controls
Efficient light bulbs provide a simple place to begin. Consider them as part of a wider plan, alongside other changes that address heating or the home’s overall energy use. [F5]
Reflective panels behind radiators are another low-cost option identified by Which?. They can be considered when planning small-scale improvements, while keeping expectations grounded in the available advice: the source identifies them as an option, but does not give a guaranteed saving. [F16]
Heating controls can help match heating to when it is needed. Smart thermostats and programmable timers are described as ways to reduce wasted heating and save money. Think through your household’s routine before setting controls, so the schedule reflects when rooms need to be warm rather than running without a plan. [F8]
Appliance choice and use also matter within a home-efficiency plan. Check that advice when comparing an appliance or reviewing everyday use, rather than relying on guesswork. [F1]
Match the work to your home and ability
Some energy-efficiency improvements are suitable for householders to carry out themselves, while other jobs need professional help. Make that distinction before starting. If a task is beyond your skills or you are unsure how to carry it out safely, seek suitable professional assistance instead of pressing ahead. [F3]
Loft insulation is one improvement to investigate where it fits the home. Which? Correct installation is central to that statement, so do not treat it as a reason to attempt work without the skills it needs. [F18]
More substantial options include renewable energy systems such as solar panels or heat pumps. BCP Council says these can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower a home’s carbon footprint. They are different in scale from fitting light bulbs or using heating controls, so consider whether specialist advice is needed before committing to a system. [F10]
Support may be available for some measures, but eligibility is not guaranteed. Coventry points to its Energy Efficiency Measure Grant Checker to help people understand whether they may qualify for support towards costs. Check what applies to your circumstances before choosing work, and include any uncertainty about funding in your planning. [F6]
What this means for you in the UK?
Choose an approach that fits your home and location, because available advice and support may differ. The GOV.UK service offers recommendations for home improvements to people who own a property in England or Wales, with the aim of helping make it cheaper to heat and keep warm. Use relevant recommendations to shape what you investigate, rather than assuming one set of measures suits every property. [F19]
If you are a homeowner in Scotland, the Clean Energy advice says you may be eligible for an interest-free loan or grant to improve home energy efficiency, including support for installing a heat pump. Treat this as a possibility to check, not a promise of funding. Confirm whether you meet the conditions before building a project budget around it. [F21]
Across the UK, the available routes mentioned in the facts include checking with your energy supplier about possible energy-efficiency and heating improvements, and considering whether government schemes may offer financial help. A separate advice line provides free, personalised support on cost-effective ways to reduce bills and improve home energy performance. These are routes for checking your options, not guarantees that a particular measure will be funded. [F20, F22, F24]
For a household weighing a small DIY job against bigger work, start with what you can assess and manage yourself. Efficient bulbs, heating controls and reflective panels are practical options to investigate; insulation or renewable systems may need more careful planning. The council guidance says some improvements are household jobs while others need a professional. [F3, F5] [F8] [F16]
What to do now?
- Review how your household uses energy, then identify a change that addresses a clear need. Monitoring and managing consumption can help show which changes may be most effective for your home. [F27]
- Check whether your home has an up-to-date EPC. Use its improvement suggestions where available, or consider whether commissioning one would help you plan. [F12, F14, F15]
- Choose a straightforward task, such as fitting efficient light bulbs or considering reflective panels behind radiators. Keep the work within your ability and pause if you are unsure. [F3, F5] [F16]
- Review heating routines and consider whether a smart thermostat or programmable timer could help heat your home only when needed. [F8]
- Before larger work, check whether professional help is needed and whether support may be available. Ask your energy supplier about possible improvements, and check relevant advice or funding routes for your circumstances. [F3, F6] [F22, F24]
Sources
- www.coventry.gov.uk/home-energy-warmth/energy-efficiency-improving-home/2
- www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/environment/protecting-the-environment/sustainability-and-carbon-reduction/home-energy-efficiency-advice
- www.which.co.uk/news/article/5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-homes-energy-efficiency-auF1Q3i01nNE
- cleanenergy.campaign.gov.uk/save-energy-in-your-home
- www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency
About this page
Written with AI assistance from the sources listed above, then checked by automated fact, source, repetition and quality checks before publishing.
Facts and links checked on 5 November 2026. Summarises the sources linked above; check the linked source for the latest version.
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