The government is believed to be planning a public information campaign to encourage people to use less energy this winter.

The campaign is being drawn up amid fears that Liz Truss’s plan to freeze energy bills could lead to households being more liberal with their energy consumption, according to The Times.

Ofgem had planned to raise its energy cap to £3,459 in October. However Ms Truss announced today that the cap will not go higher than £2,500 for the next two years.

However, this £2,500 cap is still more than double what it was set at last winter (£1,277), meaning many struggling households will still be looking to limit their energy use as much as possible.

Here i fact checks some of the measures that are likely to be included in the government’s information campaign to find out if they will actually save households money on their energy bills.

It is expected that the government’s campaign will advise people to turn down their hot water thermostats, reducing the maximum temperature at which their home’s tap can run.

Many people have their thermostat set too hot, meaning they use their cold water tap to get their water to a more bearable temperature. Not only is this a waste of water, but it also means households are using more gas to heat their water to a higher temperature than they need.

Heating water accounts for around 20 per cent of households’ gas consumption.

Nick Elbourne, asset manager and service partner for the Community Energy Scheme, says reducing your boiler temperature by 10°C could save about 4 per cent on your gas bill.

Ministers are also expected to recommend that households switch off electrical appliances rather than leave them on standby.

Doing this can reduce energy bills, but the impact depends on the age of your appliances.

Mr Elbourne says it is worth turning off your TV when you are not using it if it is more than five years old. He predicts this could save you roughly 50p to a pound a week (based on the current price cap). Modern TVs are more efficient, meaning the savings would be minimal.

The Energy Savings Trust says that almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programme settings and recommends that people get a standby saver or smart plug, which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go.

However, households are also advised to check the instructions for appliances they are unsure about, because some satellite and digital TV recorders need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of programmes to record.

Ministers may also wish to consider advising households to take showers instead of baths in order to reduce energy consumption; the advice formed a key part of a similar initiative recently launched by the Swiss Government.

Cutting out baths can definitely reduce household energy use, especially if you also make sure to spend less time in the shower. According to the Energy Saving Trust, limiting showers to four minutes can save you up to £70 a year.

Mr Elbourne says showers are 50 per cent more efficient than baths because you tend to be heating less water. A typical shower uses 62 litres of water, while a bath uses closer to 200 litres, he says.

Another energy saving tip promoted by the Swiss Government is to use a lid when boiling water.

While this will save some energy due to less heat escaping from the pan, there are better things you can do to reduce your energy consumption while cooking.

The Energy Saving Trust recommends heating water in a kettle rather than on the stove and ensuring you use energy-efficient products. Appliances can be checked against the Energy Saving Trust’s extensive database of energy-efficient products.

Other things households can do to save energy while cooking is using a microwave, which is far more efficient than a gas or electric hob when heating up small amounts of food.

Another top tip is to measure out how much water you need when boiling the kettle for cups of tea, so you only heat up what you need. However, this only works if you measure out properly and do not need to turn the kettle back on again.

Another recommendation favoured by experts that the government might wish to consider is installing a smart meter in your home.

Mr Elbourne says it is “definitely worth” getting a smart meter, which allows you to accurately measure how much energy you are using down to the appliance.

Having one installed means “you become more aware of what you’re using” and also allows energy companies to bill you more accurately, he adds.

To have a smart meter installed, contact your energy provider and an installer will put one in free of charge.

One of the best things you can do to reduce energy consumption in your household is also one of the most expensive. Those who have the cash to do it should consider insulating their loft this year.

Mr Elbourne says: “Insulating the loft makes a huge difference on the cost of heating. It is something I would definitely recommend, and it is best explained from an energy rating perspective.

“If a household runs at 100 points of efficiency, if we were to put in insulation, then this can increase to 112. So it can be 10 per cent more efficient on energy usage which can have a massive difference. It also lasts many years, so [it’s] worth it in the long run.”

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