Making this Christmas extra special, saving for your next holiday or putting money aside for a rainy day – there are so many things you could do with the cash you’d save thanks to this free help from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

With the cooler months now upon us, you’re probably at least thinking about turning on your heating (if you haven’t already). But energy prices now mean you’ll be paying more than in the past, and perhaps you’ll end up putting your heating on less than you’d really like to.

Thankfully, there’s help at hand. You can now get all the tips, tricks and know-how you need to keep your home toasty and warm this winter and potentially save hundreds on your energy bills every year too with one of the council’s free home energy surveys.

They only take an hour to do and, as long as you live in the borough, you can book one. So no, it doesn’t matter if you’re in a flat or a house, live in a town or the countryside, own or rent your home, have a boiler or a heat pump, or anything else.

And because this is a council service, nobody will try to sell you anything or recommend any paid services or companies. It’s completely free, with no strings attached.

On the day and time you book for, council staff will come and survey your home for about an hour. This will include using software like thermal imaging to discover cold spots and where your heat (and your money) is escaping.

The team finds cold spots and where heat is escaping from your home.The team finds cold spots and where heat is escaping from your home. (Image: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council) A few days later, you’ll get your free tailored energy-saving action plan. This will include top tips for easy, quick and low (or no) cost things you can do to save some cash immediately.

Plus, you’ll also get suggestions for bigger improvements your home may be suitable for, like insulation and solar panels. And, if you’re likely to be eligible, you’ll also get information about grants that could help pay for them too.

You can also talk to the team about whether your home could be suitable for improvements like solar panels.You can also talk to the team about whether your home could be suitable for improvements like solar panels. (Image: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council) There’s nothing to lose – and potentially hundreds of pounds to save.

You can book your free survey at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/home-energy-saving-initiatives.