Expert explains why it can be cheaper to have your heating on in the middle of the night

An expert has revealed the surprising reason why it may actually be cheaper to leave your heating on overnight.

Tired of waking up in a freezing cold house and having to give yourself a daily pep talk just to get out of bed? Well look no further, as we may (finally) have some good news for you on that front.

Due to the never ending cost of living crisis, the price of bills for the average UK household has been steadily increasing over the past couple of years, which means most of us have been playing the game of 'how cold can you go before switching the heating on' and layering up while indoors.

However were you aware of this one hack which could see you keep your home warmer for cheaper?

How can I save on energy bills this winter?

According to advice shared by This is Money, UK families who use electric heating should pay attention to the time in which they turn their thermostat up.

According to a spokesperson for Energyhelpline, Brits who use an economy 7 tariff should make the most of off-peak hours to keep their homes warmer for less.

"The only context in which it could be cheaper to turn heating on at a different time is if you are on an economy 7 tariff and are using an electrical heater," they explained.

"In that case, using the heater during the cheaper hours will be cheaper than turning the heating on during the day."

Off-peak hours can vary between electricity supplier and time of year, however E.ON revealed that it's typically a seven-hour window between 11pm - 8am. Price differences between off-peak and peak energy will also vary from provider to provider, however E.ON adds that rates can vary between '20p for every unit of electricity you use during the day and 10p during the night'.

This advice can also be applied to other electrical appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines, which means it can really pay to have your appliances run their cycles during nocturnal hours - although this may not be feasible for anyone living in apartment buildings.

What about people using gas heating?

Unfortunately the off-peak system only applies to people who use electricity to heat their homes as gas stays the same price throughout the day.

For Brits in houses with gas central heating systems, they can save money by making sure they 'optimise' their heating usage.

It's also looking into getting an electric blanket, as The Express recently revealed that keeping an electric blanket on for eight hours while you sleep could cost as little as 20p for the whole night.