Anyone with a TV urged to use one key setting to cut energy this winter

Anyone with a TV urged to use one key setting to cut energy this winter The simple change can help cut down energy use Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Mia O'Hare , Senior Audience Writer for Spare Time 10:34, Wed, Oct 21, 2026 Updated: 10:41, Wed, Oct 21, 2026 The simple setting can be found on most TVs (Image: Igor Suka via Getty Images) Countless households are grappling with rising energy bills this winter, and many are wondering how to reduce the impact. The Ofgem price cap for the typical household paying by direct debit currently stands at £1,723 annually. However, energy analysts at Cornwall Insight forecast this could climb to £1,999 come January. The Government introduced a VAT reduction on electricity bills, but the Ofgem price cap still increased due to elevated wholesale costs fuelled by the conflict in the Middle East. For numerous households, reducing energy consumption wherever possible is essential. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Dehumidifiers will work better to dry clothes if you do a simple 5-minute task in October I cleaned my sofa with baking soda and washing-up liquid – one made it look brand new Get personal finance news, money saving tips and advice plus selcted offers and competitions I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Fortunately, there are simple adjustments you can make at home to reduce energy use. These alterations will be barely noticeable but can help reduce energy consumption and, consequently, save some cash. Money Saving Expert suggested making a small tweak to televisions. Reduce TV energy According to Money Saving Expert, the average cost of running a TV per hour stands at 0.79p. A Sky Q box can cost 1.18p and a PlayStation 5 can cost 5p. On average, UK households spend approximately four hours daily watching television. The experts stated: "All that viewing uses a lot of energy, but most TVs these days have special settings aimed at making them run as efficiently as possible." Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Most televisions feature power-saving settings that modify screen brightness to cut power consumption. Select this option to reduce the TV's energy consumption. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT If your television lacks that feature, you can manually adjust the brightness and contrast. Switching the picture mode to the "standard" setting is the most energy-efficient option available. Certain TVs include a sleep timer function that automatically switches the television off after a designated period of inactivity. Make sure this feature is on. Adjust your TV settings to save costs (Image: Pablo Jeffs Munizaga - Fototrekking via Getty Images) Ensure our latest money-saving headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings. Adjust your TV box You can also modify your TV boxes to reduce energy use. Many include an eco mode feature. Sky Q boxes offer an eco mode, which powers down the device between 2:30am and 5:45am. Virgin and BT provide similar functions, so search for the "eco" or "power saving" options. Is standby mode worth it? Switching off devices rather than leaving them on standby is best. According to the Energy Saving Trust, households could save £45 annually by turning devices off standby. However, devices consume considerably less energy in standby mode than when actively used. Under EU regulations, TVs and other appliances manufactured after 2013 cannot use more than 0.5 watts while in standby mode. Money Saving Expert clarified: "For perspective, a TV left on standby for 20 hours a day would cost about £1 a year. Similarly, even power-hungry devices such as games consoles use only small amounts of energy while on standby. "A PlayStation 5, for example, uses just 0.4 watts in standby mode (assuming it's not downloading any updates or charging controllers). This would cost less than a penny if left on standby all day." Money saving Energy bills Energy Appliances Home appliances Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments