Martin Lewis's '6pm rule' helps your home stay warm for longer

Martin Lewis's heating rule will help homes slash their costs by keeping properties warmer for longer. The money-saving expert has shared tips on cutting down home heating bills on several occasions, and his latest trick involves being strategic with your curtains. The NHS advises British households to heat their homes when temperatures outside drop below 15C, which has happened on numerous occasions across the nation.

Households are expecting to pay more in energy bills this year as Ofgem increased the energy price cap at the beginning of October. But if you want to save money when heating your home, then you need to get strict with how you use your curtains in your home. The money-saving expert originally shared the rule in 2022 but recently revealed that it still applies on his ITV show. He instructed households to make sure their blinds and curtains are closed before 6pm, as the sun is setting just after that time around this stage of the year.

Of course, you need to adjust that time as the evenings get darker as we move further into autumn and head towards winter. Sunshine provides some heat in your home during the day.

When you have energy-efficient curtains in your home, which include thermal or lined window coverings, these can help trap the heat after the sun has set. However, you will need to make sure to draw them before it gets dark.

Explaining the "tactical" rule, he revealed that households should be "rigid" about it to ensure they get the most heat in their homes, saving them money on energy bills. He said, "When the sun is shining, it is letting light and heat into the house, so you want the curtains open.

"When it gets dark, it's not, so you want to keep the heat in by closing the curtains. I know we all know that, but doing it rigorously can help insulate, especially if you line it with a fleece. There are lots of tips online on how to do that, and really cheaply do it yourself."

By the end of October, the sun will set much earlier. October 30 will see the sun set by around 4.38pm, meaning that curtains should be drawn before that to trap as much heat as possible.

Lewis explains how fleece-lined curtains trap heat in homes, which can help save serious money on bills. These can be created at home yourself, but you need to make sure that the fleece you use meets fire safety standards. Thick or fleece-lined curtains can be purchased via online and in-store retailers such as The Range, Amazon, Dunelm and Tesco.