Households can stay warm all night in January for just 1p

Households across the UK can stay warm all night in January for as little as 1p per hour without running the heating.

The first week of the new year has kicked off with a bout of bitterly cold weather, with the Met Office issuing multiple warnings for snow and ice throughout this week. The national forecaster has warned that a deep area of low pressure crossing the south of the UK will bring a "multi-hazard event" through Thursday and into Friday, with heavy snow, very strong winds, rain and ice all on the cards.

An amber warning for snow covers most of Wales, the Midlands and southern parts of northern Englan, while numerous yellow warnings for wind, snow, ice and rain have been issued across much of the country.

The weather warnings coincide with amber cold health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for all regions of England, which have now been extended and will remain in place until Friday, January 9.

With much of the country facing bitter and unsettled conditions, households are being urged to take precautions to protect against the cold, particularly those who are elderly as colder temperatures can become harder on the body as we get older.

Met Office advice recommends that anyone over the age of 65 set their heating to a minimum of 18C in winter, as this is the minimum temperature to help fend off nasty seasonal bugs, like colds, Covid and flu.

But running the heating can be costly, particularly as Ofgem's energy price cap increased by 0.2% from January 1, taking the average household in England, Scotland and Wales on a standard variable tariff to £1,758 per year.

So to help cut your energy bills and save money this January as the winter weather bites, energy experts recommend investing in an electric blanket as these can keep you warm for a mere 1p.

An electric blanket can save you money as you're only paying to heat yourself, rather than your entire house. The running cost will vary depending on the energy rating of the blanket, but some blankets with a 40W rating only cost 1p to run a night, which is cheaper than the cost of a daily coffee.

Experts at Uswitch explain: "Most electric blankets consume no more than 300 watts - and some single blankets as little as 40W - when on their highest setting.

"Their energy usage falls significantly when the electric blanket is switched to its lowest setting, making it possible to heat a bed for 7-8 hours a night for as little as 1p, or £3.66 a year, when the blanket is set to its minimum heat setting.

"How much your electric blanket costs to run over an extended period depends on its energy rating, what temperature you set it to, and how long you use it for each night.

"You can significantly reduce this cost by setting the blanket's heat setting to low, having it switched on for fewer hours and not using it during the warmer months. For example, reducing your 250-watt blanket to half power, using it for just five hours a night, and only using it for 120 days of the year, would cost you 17p a night, totalling just £20.80 across four months of the year."

Experts recommend turning an electric blanket on to full heat for around 10 to 15 minutes before going to bed and then switching it off, thereby avoiding any overnight costs to use it.

Alternatively, you could put it on a low heat setting for up to two hours before going to bed, and then leave it on a minimal setting through the night. So if you had a 40W blanket that cost 1p per hour to run, and you used it for eight hours, this would cost you 8p per night.

Of course if you don't want to invest in an electric blanket there are some other options you can try which don't require having to blast the heating.

One option is to place a hot water bottle under your covers just before going to bed as the heat will radiate through your bedding and keep you warm for several hours.

You can also try layering up your bedding by swapping out lightweight summer duvets for a heavier, winter-rated one, or add throws, blankets or flannel sheets which naturally trap heat better than cotton.