Energy Saving · 5 min read

The best thermostat settings to save money

Small thermostat tweaks make a real difference. Here's how to set yours for comfort and lower bills.

Your thermostat is the single biggest lever over your heating bill. Used well, it keeps you comfortable while cutting waste. Here's the practical guidance.

What temperature?

Most people are comfortable between 18°C and 21°C. Setting it to the lowest temperature you're comfortable at — and turning it down 1°C — noticeably cuts heating use without you really feeling it. Every degree counts.

Timing beats blasting

• Use the timer to heat the home only when you're up and in.
• It's generally more efficient to heat to a steady comfortable temperature on a timer than to blast it hot then off.
• Set heating to come on shortly before you wake and go off shortly before you leave or sleep.
• Lower the target overnight rather than turning it off entirely in very cold weather (to avoid the house getting too cold).

Use TRVs and zones

Thermostatic radiator valves let you turn down rooms you don't use — there's no point heating a spare bedroom to the same temperature as the living room. A smart thermostat goes further, learning your routine and avoiding heating an empty home.

Get your boiler flow temperature right too

Beyond the room thermostat, the boiler's own flow temperature affects efficiency. For a condensing combi boiler, setting the central-heating flow temperature lower (around 55–60°C) helps it condense properly and run more efficiently — a free tweak many homes miss. Your rooms still reach temperature; the boiler just gets there more efficiently.

Let a smart thermostat do the thinking

A smart thermostat learns your routine, avoids heating an empty home, and lets you adjust the heating from your phone. For many households it pays for itself by cutting the waste of heating rooms and times you don't need.

More practical advice in our Insights & Guides.