State pensioners can stay warm at night without using heating for just 2.5p an hour if they follow a tip from a bedding expert.
With the £300 Winter Fuel Payment now being scrapped for most pensioners, and energy bills rising by 11 percent across two price hikes in a row, many on the state pension will be looking to do anything they can to reduce their bills this winter.
But according to Opera Beds, there is a way to stay warm overnight for just 2.5p an hour without ever switching the boiler on.
An electric blanket is 60 times cheaper than running the heating, the firm said, thanks to ever increasing gas and electricity prices.
Chelsea Brown, Lead Product Advisor at Opera Beds has revealed the cost of running an electric blanket. She said: “An electric blanket generates heat by running electricity through wires in the fabric. Each electric blanket has different power ratings and the overall cost will depend on the rating on your blanket’s label, as well as its size and setting.
“Between October and December 2024, the Ofgem cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity will be on average 24.5p, i.e. £0.24.
“For this example, we’ll use an approximate power of 100W as this is most common for an electric blanket. First, you need to convert to kW. 100W is 0.1kW (or 100 divided by 1000). Then you simply need to multiply this by the pence/kWh unit. This would be: 0.1*0.24 = £0.024.
“So, running an electric blanket for one hour would cost 2.5p during winter 2024. Based on 8 hours of overnight use, an electric blanket would cost around 20p a night. This hourly cost also applies to using a heated throw throughout the day whilst on the sofa or at a desk.
“With gas prices at approximately 6.24p per kWh, an average 24kWh boiler will cost an average of £1.50 an hour at the current price. This means that running an electric blanket is approximately 60X cheaper than using central heating. Using electric blankets and heated throws offer more cost-effective solutions by providing direct warmth, reducing the need to heat entire rooms.”
She went on to add that a heated throw performs a similar function, but can be used on a sofa to keep warm while watching TV or reading downstairs, and means you can avoid heating the whole house if you plan to stay in just one room.
She added: “It’s not necessary to have both, as they serve similar purposes, but it depends on your personal preferences and lifestyle. If you want targeted warmth while lounging in different areas of your home, a heated throw may be ideal, it is also possible to use a heated throw as an overblanket in bed.
« If you’re primarily looking for warmth while sleeping, an electric blanket may suffice. Some people might choose to have both for added flexibility and comfort. Both options are effective at heating the space. »
