How to save money on your bills

Last reviewed: August 2026

A few practical things that are worth an hour of anyone’s time. None of it is advice, and none of it is complicated, it is simply money most households leave on the table.

Your mortgage

If you have not reviewed your mortgage in a while and you are not tied into a deal, switching lender or moving to a better product with your existing lender can save a substantial amount. This applies particularly if you have slipped onto your lender’s standard variable rate when a fixed deal ended, which is almost always the most expensive rate they offer.

It is worth starting three to six months before your current deal ends, as offers can usually be reserved in advance.

Council tax

If you live on your own, or everyone else in your household is under 18 or otherwise disregarded, you are entitled to a 25% single person discount. A surprising number of people never claim it.

It is also worth checking your council tax band. Bands were set in 1991 and a good number of properties were placed in the wrong one. If yours is too high you can challenge it, and a successful challenge can be backdated.

If you are struggling to pay, every council runs its own hardship or discretionary reduction scheme. Contact them directly rather than letting arrears build.

Energy

Check whether you are on your supplier’s standard variable tariff, and whether a fixed deal would be cheaper. Comparison is worth doing annually rather than once and forgetting.

For practical ways to reduce what you use, the government’s energy efficiency advice sets out what actually makes a difference and what grants may be available.

If you are of State Pension age or on certain benefits, check whether you qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment or the Warm Home Discount. These are not always paid automatically.

Subscriptions

Scan a few months of bank and card statements for anything you no longer use. Streaming services, apps, memberships, insurance add-ons and free trials that quietly became paid ones. Ten minutes here is often the highest hourly rate you will earn all year.

Insurance

Loyalty is rarely rewarded. Insurers are no longer permitted to charge existing customers more than new ones for home and motor policies, but that does not mean your renewal is competitive. Compare before you auto-renew.

The bigger picture

Trimming bills is worth doing, and it is not the same as financial planning. If you would like to look at the larger questions, whether you are saving enough, when you could afford to stop working, what your retirement will actually cost, then that is a different conversation.

How much will I need in retirement? is a reasonable place to start.

This article is for general information and does not constitute personal advice. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate advice on council tax, energy or utilities.

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Lee Barton (Leicester) | Ian Laker (Tamworth) | Chris Wood (Coventry)