Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has confirmed the minimum temperature households should be setting their heating at this winter. While many households run their heating well into the 20C range, this is an expensive option, Martin said, especially as energy bills are forecast to rise by another painful 24% in January – right at the peak of cold winter weather. Returning for an energy bills special of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV1 and ITVX last Tuesday, Martin set out the official guidance on the absolute minimum temperature you can get away with setting your heating at if you’re a healthy adult.
He also urged households to consider the option of saving money by dropping their thermostat down by one degree, adding that just this tiny tweak can save as much as 7% off energy bills. Martin Lewis said: “Take my one degree challenge. It doesn’t sound very much.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) says for a healthy adult, you can set the thermostat at 18 degrees C. Most of you are far higher than that. Obviously if you’ve got a medical condition or older people, you’ll want it to be higher. But if you were to drop from say, 21C to 20C, that could cut your heating bill by 7%.
“I am not telling you to do it, I am telling you to experiment and see whether you can really notice the difference and maybe you put a little more clothing on while you’re doing it on top.
“And also a little note, if it’s colder outside, lots of people turn the thermostat up. The thermostat’s job is to take your house to a set temperature. You don’t need to turn it up. Let the thermostat do its work for itself.”
This is backed by official guidance from the NHS.
In a paper titled ‘Minimum temperature threshold for homes in winter’, the NHS issued guidance which said: “Cold weather is not only associated with an increase in deaths but also has a significant impact on morbidity.
“Many population groups are particularly at risk from cold temperatures; vulnerable groups are widely distributed within the population and include older people, children and those with chronic illnesses, particularly cardiorespiratory disease.
“It is those most vulnerable to cold, who also spend the majority of their time indoors at home and may not always perceive cold temperatures because of physiological changes that occur particularly with ageing.
“It is for these reasons that indoor temperature recommendations for homes are considered important to protect and improve health and wellbeing.”
In a review of a collection of studies, it found: “The currently available evidence base, alongside expert discussion, suggests indoor temperatures of at least 18C poses minimal risk to the health of a sedentary person, wearing suitable clothing.
“Below 18C, negative health effects may occur, such as increases in blood pressure and the risk of blood clots which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.”
