1. Keep bills at a minimum by switching your energy provider – it could save you as much as £200 a year.

2. Turning your thermostat down by just one degree centigrade can save you six per cent on your heating bills – around £30 a year. If you are cold, do not turn the thermostat up – just set the heating to come on a bit earlier.

3. Wear lots of thin layers of clothing instead of one bulky item.

4. Eat a balanced diet with hot dinners and hot drinks.

5. Do some exercise to get the blood flowing and warm you up.

6. Stop smoking – it slows down your circulation so you get colder quicker.

7. Keep warm at night. You don’t need to keep your heating running all night though, just set it to come on about half an hour before you get up, and wear bedclothes and socks.

8. Close windows if the heating is on.

9. Insulate your home – hanging thick curtains on the front and back doors, and using cheap draught exclusion strips on windows and brushes on the bottom of doors keeps cold air out and warm air in so your boiler will not have to work as hard to keep you warm.

10. Check your boiler – if your boiler is more than ten years old it might need replacing. New boilers are extremely efficient and can cut bills by up to 40 per cent a year.