With the cost-of-living crisis impacting us more many people will be looking for ways to cut costs as UK households face increasingly squeezed budgets.

It was revealed earlier this week that around 12 million households or about 40 per cent of customers are now spending more than 10 per cent of their income on energy bills – the previous definition of fuel poverty.

Emma Pinchbeck, the chief executive of Energy UK, which represents suppliers, told the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that customer calls to suppliers were up about 300 per cent on previous years and requests for additional support were also up 300 per cent.

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Her comments follow Citizens Advice warning that an estimated 3.2 million people across Britain ran out of credit on their prepayment meter last year, the equivalent of one every 10 seconds, because they could not afford to top it up.

And while there is no quick or easy fix to lower your energy bills at the moment, here are five simple tips that could help.

Avoid overfilling the kettle

Kettles tend to be one of the most used appliances in our kitchens and therefore one of the biggest energy wasters. We all have a tendency to fill the kettle with more water than we need for a cup of tea or that we are intending to use.

By simply avoiding overfilling the kettle you can save yourself £8 a year on your electricity bill. You can also fit an aerator onto your existing kitchen tap to reduce the amount of water coming out without impacting how it washes or rinses.

These small gadgets which attach to the spout of taps are cheap as well as easy to install and could end up saving you £14 a year.

Turn your appliances off standby mode

You can slash approximately £40 a year from your just by turning your appliances off standby mode. Many electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming, but always check instruction manuals if you're unsure.

Some satellite and digital TV recorders may need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of any programmes you want to record. It may also be worth investing in a standby saver or smart plug which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go.

Use your washing machine at 30-degrees

Turning your washing machine down to a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures could help save up to £20 a year on your bills. Another tip is to wash your clothes only when you have a full load. If you're able to reduce your washing machine use by one run per week for a year this could save you an extra £10.

The Currys website advises people to identify your washing machine’s energy efficiency rating to be aware of how much energy you're consuming on each use. It states: "The amount of energy the machine uses is calculated (in kilowatt-hours) over 100 cycles. The measurements are based on energy consumption during what’s called an ‘Eco 40-60 wash."

"An Eco 40-60 wash is good for cleaning your standard soiled materials like cotton, linen or mixed fibres. And it’s the most efficient programme for energy and water use too. So that makes it a good and fair cycle to test energy ratings for."

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Avoid using a tumble dryer

Tumble dryers can be a costly appliance to run regularly. Once you've washed your clothes, choose to dry clothes on racks inside where possible or outside in warmer months.

Avoiding the use of a tumble dryer could save £40 a year.

Run your dishwasher only when it’s full

Similar to your washing machine, run your dishwasher only once it's full. By reducing your dishwasher use by one run per week for a year, you could save £10.

Cutting down your dishwasher use makes it more energy efficient as the energy ratings on dishwashers are calculated by how much water they use, compared to the amount of energy they consume over 100 cycles.

The Currys site explains this further: "This is tested using the Eco programme on things like cups, pots and plastic utensils. So the test is basically mimicking how you’d use your dishwasher at home."

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