State pensioners urged to spend £1.50 after losing £300 Winter Fuel Payment

State pensioners who will be forced to give back their £300 Winter Fuel Payment this year are being urged to spend just £1.40 to reduce their heating bills.

The Winter Fuel Payment has been overhauled for winter 2025 after a controversial change to means test the benefit with Pension Credit in 2024 led to widespread criticism. Instead, this winter the money will be given to all state pensioners. But, those earning £35,000 or more will be forced to give the money back to HMRC in their taxes.

For those who are looking to shave a few pounds off their energy bills because they won't be able to keep their Winter Fuel Payment, energy saving experts recommend a few quick and easy tips to cut costs, including draught proofing, lowering the thermostat by at least 1C and using LED lightbulbs.

But one very cheap tip that can be used by state pensioners and working people alike includes using tin foil or kitchen foil behind your radiators.

Tin foil, or aluminium foil as it's sometimes known, works by reflecting heat back into your room rather than letting it escape.

The foil, which you can buy for as little as £1.40 per roll from Tesco, bounces heat lost behind the radiator back into the room, saving it from going to waste in your wall.

Home energy experts Energy Guide.Org advise that you don't necessarily need to splash out on custom made or special high end radiator reflectors - a simple roll of tin foil may do almost the same job.

Just cut the tin foil to the right size and stick it behind your radiator with some double sided sellotape.

They said: "Specialised reflective foil, designed to redirect warmth back into your living space, is an effective strategy to conserve heat and provide insulation.

"This method is particularly beneficial for external walls, where it helps to minimise heat loss. Enhancements like shelves or fans above radiators can further help to circulate warm air back into the room.

"For a DIY approach, you can attach foil to cardboard panels and place them behind radiators, ensuring the reflective side faces the room.

"Double-sided adhesive pads can also help to secure these panels in place."

While this is cheap and cheerful strategy, you'll get even better results with proper bespoke radiator reflectors, which are available from Screwfix for as little as £7.50.

They added: "Placing foil behind radiators can reflect heat into living spaces, potentially saving on heating bills, especially effective on external walls.

"However, kitchen foil isn't ideal as it degrades and crinkles over time. Specialised radiator reflectors like Radflek are more durable and effective.

"Research indicates these can significantly reduce heat transfer and provide real-term savings, with the amount saved varying by property type and wall insulation."