Spring clean your finances to save more than £800 over the next year

●      Simple switches could save households over £800 a year, with the arrival of spring signalling a fresh start in more ways than one

●      Almost two-thirds of households (65%) say they have a ‘Bills Boss’, who champions money-saving in the home, including cancelling unused subscriptions or memberships (47%), searching for new insurance policies (44%), and tracking energy use with a smart meter display (22%)

●      84% say the work of the Bills Boss in their household is invaluable, with over half (53%) of Brits saying making savings from clever financial switches feels rewarding

●      Smart Energy GB has teamed up with John Gathergood, Professor of Economics at the University of Nottingham, to calculate how much spring cleaning your finances today could save the average household, through six simple switches

●     Journalist and broadcaster, Kate Thornton, has also partnered with Smart Energy GB to uncover the different ways Britain’s Bills Bosses are saving energy and money this spring

25th March 2026 - Simple switches this spring could save households over £800* across the next twelve months, as Britscelebrate their ‘Bills Boss’ - the financial champion at home who takes care of the bills, searches for the best deals and keeps track of it all.

The majority of households (65%) say they have one, according to new research conducted by Smart Energy GB, and Bills Bosses say they make savings through cancelling unused subscriptions or memberships (47%), searching for new insurance policies (44%), and tracking energy use with a smart meter display (22%).

With the arrival of spring signalling a fresh start, 60% of Brits agree that the change in season encourages them to have a clear out, not just of their homes, but their finances too. On average, Brits planning to spring clean their finances this year are set to make three financial swaps, which could mean big savings as the weather warms up.

While home-owning Bills Bosses think the best ways to make savings are by using comparison sites (49%) and searching for new insurance policies rather than automatically renewing (48%), the majority of households who rent also prove they are savvy savers, collecting loyalty card reward points (41%) and creating spreadsheets to track their bills (25%) more often than home-owners.

There’s no denying the Bills Bosses get things done, and those who have one person responsible for the household finances say it avoids confusion (44%), missed payments (32%), and duplicated spending (24%). A third (33%) even say they actively enjoy hunting down savings through clever financial switches.

Smart Energy GB teamed up with John Gathergood, Professor of Economics at the University of Nottingham, to calculate the savings that could be made if you spring clean your finances today, and with 62% of Brits saying they are more likely now to shop around to cut costs, it is no surprise that these savings could be substantial.

His research found that by undertaking a financial spring clean across six simple at-home actions, such as turning the thermostat down by 1 degree, tracking energy use and using energy flexibly with a smart meter, cancelling unused subscriptions and changing broadband provider, a typical UK household could save over £800 per year. That is approximately 47% of one month’s average take-home pay for a UK adult**, or broadly equivalent to four months of an average UK household’s council tax bill***. Importantly, all six actions are one-time interventions that deliver recurring savings from day one, requiring no ongoing change in lifestyle.

When it comes to energy bills, almost half (46%) of smart meter owners say that taking part in an energy reward scheme has saved them money. These schemes are available to those with a smart meter and reward customers for shifting when they use electricity at home.

Nearly three in five (59%) of those who have a smart meter agree it encourages their household to be more energy efficient, with 62% saying they saved money as a result. In fact, smart meter owners believe that their smart meter has helped them save £130 a year on average.****

Victoria Bacon, Director at Smart Energy GB, said: “Our research celebrates the Bills Bosses this spring, the people who go the extra mile for their households to make savvy savings. Even small swaps at home can make a difference and getting a smart meter is an easy way to have clear oversight of your energy use, helping you to find ways to save money on your bills.”

And it is not just Bills Bosses who can see the benefits - over half (53%) of Brits say that making savings as a result of clever financial switches feels rewarding. And while a staggering 84% say the work of the Bills Boss is invaluable in their home, over a third (35%) of Bills Bosses say they don’t get enough credit for the hard work they do.

Smart Energy GB has also partnered with Journalist and Broadcaster, Kate Thornton, who proudly describes herself as a Bills Boss, to help Brits navigate their financial spring clean.

Kate said “I’ll happily admit I’m the Bills Boss in my house. I’m always on the lookout for smarter ways to save money whether that’s reviewing my subscriptions, switching broadband provider for a better deal or keeping an eye on my energy usage with my smart meter display. It might not sound glamorous, but getting on top of your household bills can make a real difference, as can teaching your family the tips and tricks, too. I love the satisfaction of knowing I’m making my money work harder - it is the financial equivalent of feeling smug after a gym class!”

For more information about smart meters and how they can help households stay in control of their energy use, search ‘Get a smart meter’.

 

- ENDS-

 

*Calculations are accurate as of March 2026 and are subject to change over time as best offers available on the market and other factors change.

**The implied monthly take-home figure is roughly £1,739 (i.e. £826 ÷ 0.47), which equates to annual take-home pay of about £20,868. That's the approximate ONS median full-time earnings after tax and National Insurance for a single adult in the UK in 2025.

***Four months of an average UK-wide council tax bill implies an annual bill of roughly £2,478 (i.e. 826 × 3), which is in the average Band D council tax in England in 2025/26 according to ONS Council Tax annual figures.

****Survey conducted by Censuswide of 2,000 smart meter owners in GB aged 18+, 13^th – 23^rd February 2026.

Professor John Gathergood, University of Nottingham: Methodology & Considerations

The analysis finds that a typical UK household could save approximately £826 per year (around £68.83 per month) by undertaking a financial spring clean across six identified actions. Two of these actions relate to energy management, where households could save an estimated £220 per year, and four relate to broader personal finance decisions, yielding an estimated £606 per year.

For each action, a methodology has been developed drawing on existing public domain research, including data from Ofgem, the Energy Saving Trust, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Ofcom, and nationally representative consumer surveys. Where Smart Energy GB has provided proprietary research data, this has been incorporated directly into the calculations. The savings estimates presented are based on published research, official statistics, and nationally representative survey data available as of March 2026. All financial figures are presented in 2026 prices and represent estimated average annual savings for a typical UK household. No inflation adjustments or discount rates have been applied.

These estimates are conservative and represent average savings; actual savings will vary depending on individual household circumstances, including current tariffs and contracts, consumption patterns, property characteristics, geographic location, and personal financial arrangements. The estimates represent potential savings under typical conditions and should be interpreted as indicative rather than definitive. Not all households will be able to realise the full saving on each action, and some households may save considerably more.

Where behaviours overlap or influence one another (for example, smart meter use and thermostat reduction), estimates have been calculated independently and no adjustment for interaction effects has been made. In practice, some degree of overlap may exist, which could modestly reduce the total combined saving. However, the conservative nature of individual estimates mitigates this concern.

Energy prices, insurance premiums, broadband tariffs, and subscription costs are subject to market conditions and may change. The savings estimates are based on the competitive landscape and pricing as of March 2026. Households are encouraged to use accredited comparison services and seek independent advice when making financial decisions.

 Money-Saving Behaviours & Savings

 

Behaviour	Description	Annual Saving (£)	Monthly Saving (£)
Track energy usage and use energy flexibly with a smart meter	Use smart meter-enabled features including the in-home display, apps and energy reward schemes to monitor and reduce energy consumption	£130.00	£10.83
Lower the thermostat by 1°C	Reduce thermostat setting by one degree as spring arrives	£90.00	£7.50
Cancel unused subscriptions	Review and cancel direct debits for unused memberships and streaming services	£240.00	£20.00
Shop around for insurance	Compare car and home insurance policies at renewal rather than auto-renewing	£120.00	£10.00
Switch broadband provider	Compare broadband deals and switch to a more competitive package	£150.00	£12.50
Review mobile phone contract	Switch to a SIM-only deal or a tariff better matched to actual data usage	£96.00	£8.00
TOTAL	Combined annual saving from a financial spring clean	£826.00	£68.83

 

Research Methodology

Research conducted by OnePoll across 2,000 UK adults, March 2026

About Smart Energy GB

Smart Energy GB is the independent, non-profit, government-backed organisation that helps households and small businesses across Great Britain to understand how smart meters can benefit them, their families, and the environment.

 We do this by working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders including charities and voluntary organisations to reach people throughout the country, including those in vulnerable circumstances, who may otherwise miss out on the opportunity to get a smart meter.

 Our campaign explains the impact that having a smart meter installed has, including helping the country to build a more reliable and affordable energy system, and how the accompanying in-home display can help you take control of your energy use and manage your household budget.